Finding a Place In Karma's World
by Metallica1862
Summary: When the Cullens decide to celebrate Halloween at a local club things start getting out of hand. Suddenly a new girl named Adia is thrown into their lives. Can they survive another twist and turning event or have the kids gotten everyone in over their heads.
1. Full Moon

_Karma_

"Hey guys," Alice bounded into the den, a smile of grand anticipation spread across her face. If I didn't know better I would've thought she'd just won a million dollars but knowing Alice her excitement was far more interesting than the prospect of being rich. Everyone turned toward her as she plopped down in Jasper's lap. "Full moon tonight and it's Halloween." It was obvious by the tone of her voice that she had designed a plan. This was not just an invitation; it was going to be more like a demand. "A celebration is required." She added rather bluntly.

"The last time we celebrated Halloween, we ended up in big trouble. The Volturi are sure to be watching for anything suspicious." Rose rolled her eyes as if just the idea had given her a stomach ache. Playing the angel of the family was not her strong suit and even I had to snicker at her attempt. She let out a heavy sigh and pointed one red nailed finger at me. "Bite off Edward, it's no joking matter! Carlisle will have our hides if our antics garner the attention of the Volturi again."

I hissed in response, "Has anyone said we were going out looking for trouble?" I crossed my arms across my chest and locked an intense, rather stubborn stare on her. "Well?"

For a moment, she merely scowled at me from where she was sitting on the couch across the room. She gave a huff, "Why do you have to be such an ass?" She pitched one of the throw pillows at me which she immediately got in return, the pillow smacking her in the forehead before falling into the floor.

"Come on guys, its Halloween, it's a holiday that calls for celebration." Alice insisted her voice interrupting the staring contest that had ensued between me and Rose. "I have the perfect place and we need a break from this house." She jumped up, pulling Jasper up behind her and let her gaze drift around the room. "No excuses, we're going out. Everyone be ready to leave in twenty minutes."

"Alice," Bella piped up as everyone filed out of the den and into the main part of the house. "Where exactly are we going, or do I want to know?" She followed as Alice practically drug her up the stairs.

"Stop worrying, it's going to be a blast." Alice insisted pulling Bella into her room and shutting the door. She rummaged through the closet and after a moment turned, "Here," She handed her a pair of stonewashed, tight fitting, rhinestone encrusted jeans and a midnight blue velvet peasant blouse with long, fall-away sleeves. "Wear this with your spike heeled boots." She shoved Bella into the dressing room to change as she finished her own outfit. "The boys had better be spiffy looking because you just don't go clubbing without the proper attire."

"What?!" Bella shrieked as it dawned on her what Alice had planned. "Alice, that's crazy, it's...I mean it's asking for trouble." She insisted stepping out of the dressing room clothed in the outfit that Alice had chosen. "Carlisle will kill us."

"Oh pffffttt, Carlisle needs to loosen up," Alice styled Bella's hair then her own, adding the jewelry last before taking Bella by the arm and dragging her back downstairs.

"Alice," Bella turned to face her as they waited in the living room for the boys. "This is Carlisle you're complaining about remember?"

Alice gave a nonchalant nod as if the gravity of her complaint about Carlisle was totally moot in the big scheme of things. She turned as Rose presented herself dressed in black jeans and a sherbet orange baby-doll top that was more lace than actual material. "Nice costume," she retorted with an over-eager grin.

"Stuff it Alice," Rose snorted rolling her eyes. Bella couldn't help but snicker once it dawned on her what Alice had been hinting at when she made the comment. Leave it to Rosalie to go out to a club looking like one of those upscale hookers that roamed the business district of Seattle.

The thundering of footsteps on the stairs marked the entrance of the Cullen boys all three of which were dressed in a way that to anyone of the female sex would be to die for. Emmett vaulted over the stair railing, nearly knocking an expensive Ming vase from its perch on one of the end tables. He gave Rose a pinch on the ass which landed him a swift elbow to the stomach in return. He turned to Alice, "So what's the plan and have you told Esme?"

"Not yet," Alice answered as Jasper put his arms around her middle from behind. She turned to inspect him briefly giving him a nod of approval while making a minor adjustment to his hair.

"Esme's going to freak," Bella insisted relaxing into my arms as I put them around her waist. "I now know for sure that Alice is crazy." She watched Alice gather her things, being sure to put in her purse extra makeup and such just in case it was needed.

"Of course," Alice merely smiled and there were horns showing beneath her pixie halo. "Thanks for the compliment."

I gave my wife a quizzical, half amused, look as final preparations were made and Alice left to go tell Esme that we were going out for a few hours. "No one ever said that Alice didn't possess a vivid imagination along with enough energy to power the whole of Seattle for a year." She didn't have to tell me what Alice was planning. I had not been gifted with the ability to read minds and thoughts for nothing. "Edward, if we find trouble because of this…" she adjusted the sleeves of her blouse nervously, "And what about Ness, whose going to watch over her while we're out?"

"I'm sure Esme won't mind," I insisted trying to listen in on the conversation that was going on between Alice and Esme in the dining room. "And if we find trouble, Esme will be the least of our problems." I muttered as Alice returned her expression one of excited pleasure. I raised my eyebrow at her not sure if I wanted the news.

She smiled, "Let's go, I told Esme we would be back exactly one hour before Carlisle gets home from work." She motioned us toward the door, pitching Emmett his keys as he passed in front of her.

"There had best be no trouble…" Esme warned as we filed out the door. "I expect you all back here by 2 a.m. Carlisle will be home at 3."


	2. New Girl In Town

"A Brass Monkey and hold the rocks," The wail and thump of varying forms of rock and alternative music barely drowned out the pounding inside her head as she took the only vacant stool at the bar. The atmosphere was electric as always at the only club close to Forks on Halloween night. She didn't frequent this part of Washington often, but this year she had made it a point to spend Halloween in only the most haunted of towns outside of Seattle. The rumors ran rampant about creatures of the night that frequented this lone club standing tall at the fork of the highway between the civilized city of Seattle and the unknown of ancient Indian land that was La Push.

This was the first Halloween she would spend without her sister, and she had made a promise to herself that she would do as her sister, Manda would wish, and make it a holiday worth the memories. This was also the first real outing since her sister's passing and even though, after almost a year, there was still no closure or justice brought about in Manda's death, Adia was determined to make this night one that Manda's memory would be proud of.

_All this,_

_ I seek,_

_ I find I push the envelope to the line,_

_ Make it,_

_ Break it,_

_ Take it,_

_ Until I'm overrated._

_**CLICK, CLICK BOOM**__._

(Lyrics to song: _Click Click Boom_ by Saliva)

The energy wafting from the dance floor seemed to suddenly triple as Saliva's _Click, Click Boom_ came blasting from the buildings sound system. It was as if the walls literally vibrated in time with the rhythm of the bass guitar and the pounding drum line. The dance floor sprang into motion, a morass of sweaty bodies moshing and jumping up and down in time with the music.

"Your brass monkey lady," the bartender more or less hollered at her. He held up six fingers and motioned toward the large mouth jar sitting in front of her. _Gees_, she thought as she put the required payment in the jar, she had forgotten just how expensive liquor was in places like this. The taste of orange juice and rum brought back a plethora of old memories—memories of home and family—a family that had been all but destroyed by the unexpected death of her sister.

"Thanks," She answered taking a sip of the liquor- savoring the taste of rum against her taste buds briefly before setting down her glass to watch the pulsating dance floor. As much as she wanted to join the crowd of people enjoying the blaring music, something deep inside her kept niggling at her not to. She could get lost, literally and physically, in that crowd—lost to the point of doing something she would no doubt, regret tomorrow.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

_ My mom and dad weren't perfect_

_ But you don't hear no cryin-ass bitchin' from me_

_ Like their seems to be on everybody's CD_

_ So sit back and relax and let me have your head for a minute_

_ I can show you somethin' in it that has yet to be presented, oh yeah_

_**CLICK CLICK BOOM**_

__(Lyrics to song: _Click Click Boom_ by Saliva)

As she watched the now raging dance floor and listened to the lyrics to the song she realized how much of a presence this song really had in her life up to this point. From the time she was old enough to go to school, she had never had a truly stable environment in which to grow up. Her father had been an advertising guru and his prowess alone had not allowed the family to stay in one place very long. Six different states and seven different schools in the span of five years had taught her to never become attached to people, places or material things because inevitably life would always interfere and leave her once again alone and uncomfortable.

"_Adia, my darling, life is forever about change. Nothing in life is permanent, not even friends_," her mother's voice and those horribly unsympathetic words began ringing in her ears as the song ended and the DJ announced the next song by the Goo Goo Dolls entitled _Name_. Once again she was overcome by the lyrics, so much so that she didn't notice as the dance floor began to clear slightly; most of the crowd mingling toward the bar. Only a few couples remained on the dance floor, slow dancing to the new song, their bodies intertwined together in one motion.

_And scars are souvenirs you'll never lose_

_ The past is never far_

_ And did you lose yourself somewhere out there?_

_ Did you get to be a star?_

_ And don't it make you sad to know that life_

_ Is more than who we are?_

_ (Lyrics to song: Name: By artist: Goo Goo Dolls)_

_Scars_, she smiled in rhetorical thought, she had plenty of those to go around. The hairs at the back of her neck bristled as the bar became overly crowded with most of the mob that had been on the dance floor. She had never been a fan of crowds and especially those of the drunk, sweaty, non-familiar sort.

"Hey baby," A gruff, half panting voice, called from just over her left shoulder. It was an unfamiliar voice that she quaintly chose to ignore. "Hey," there was a tap on her shoulder, "You're in my seat."

She turned enough to make eye contact with this stranger who apparently thought that the barstools had name tags attached to them. "Excuse me? Sorry it's still a bit loud in here, can you repeat yourself please?" It was obvious that he was inebriated and probably stoned as well. She cocked an eyebrow at him and waited to see if his liquor drowned brain had even comprehended what she had asked.

"Outta my seat, lady," he insisted waving his hand in a wild gesture. "This is my fucking seat!" Even though he was now half-way shouting at her, the slur of his words made him sound like a complete fool.

_And this is why alcoholics should never be allowed out of padded cells_, she thought as she responded to his anger with one of her patented sugary sweet deer in the headlight expressions. "Really?" She gave him a half-hearted, rather innocent smile, "It never occurred to me that these barstools might have name tags, what a nifty idea. And just who are you exactly?"

"Your worst fucking nightmare if you don't get outta my seat!" It was at that moment that he made a mistake that only a brain-dead drunk would be accustomed to making without second thought. He put a firm hand on her shoulder as if he was going to forcefully remove her from what he thought was his seat at the bar, "Out now!"

"Do you mind? You're getting my brand new ivory blouse dirty," She very calmly lifted his hand from her shoulder, her sister's words—a valuable lesson in dealing with unruly men- coming back to her mind. _Give the assholes one shot and if they ruin it then ruin them_ _permanently_. There was plenty of space between his body and her stool and she hadn't found a barstool yet that didn't swivel—an advantage that he would, in his inebriation, have overlooked completely.

He gave her an angry scowl, his body swaying just enough to nearly spill his beer down the front of her blouse, "You're pissing me off lady now move!" His grip upon her shoulder returned and tightened.

She knew that he was on the verge of attempting to forcefully pull her off of the stool and into the floor. Let him try, what he didn't realize was that the instant he began tugging on her, he would be the one to end up in the floor. She had no qualms with putting her knee in one very soft, very squishy spot and watching him sing soprano for the next month. "You know you're one persistent drunk," she taunted plastering her face with her best Madison Avenue smile. "If I didn't know better I'd actually swear you had brains, fortunately I know better because if you had any brain cells at all you would have figured out by now that these bar stools don't have name tags."

_Go ahead asshole do it_, she mused as his expression went from pissed off drunk to enraged drunk in the span of time it took her to once again remove his hand from her person. The gift of knowing what was going to happen before it happened sure made the art of self preservation much easier.

Sure enough, what she knew was going to happen merely moments later happened. He grabbed her shoulder and tugged hard, trying to pull her out of her seat. She had already spun the stool to face him. _So it has come down to this, well I wouldn't want to be you_. She used the bar as leverage placing her hands against the top of it and pushing her butt off of the stool, bringing her knee up into the guy's groin as she did so and making sure that she put all of her own weight and as much momentum as she could muster behind that one strike.

Of course even drunk idiots will grab themselves, as if it's going to help, after they are kneed in the groin and he did just that. A plaintive smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth as she watched him gasp for air and then sink helplessly to the floor. _What a loser_, she thought as she calmly swiveled the stool back to face the bar and took another long swig of her drink. She didn't even notice when several of the dude's drunken buddies came over and drug him away. The soft tap on her shoulder a few minutes later did acquire her attention. She turned then to find one, brawny buff guy wearing a muscle shirt emblazoned with the club's emblem standing in the space where her drunken attacker had been.

"What happened here?" He questioned his voice ringing loud and clear over the blaring music. "Someone said you accosted a guy for no reason."

She smiled innocently, "No reason hmm, the fact that he tried to yank me from this seat because in his drunkenness he seemed to believe that these stools," She pointed down at the black leather covered seat she was currently sitting upon, "had nametags and that this one belonged to him. That doesn't count?" _I was defending my womanhood you moron_, she thought as the bouncer gave her a no-nonsense glare. "You have a problem with me defending myself?"

"Well uhm," He stopped and once again studied her with one of those unbelieving, unconvinced expressions. She knew without asking what thoughts were swirling through his head as he turned briefly to glance back in the direction of where the group of guys had drug their buddy only a few minutes before. "Ladies like you don't usually have the confidence required to actually stand up to a drunken man."

"I resent that comment sir; I am not a child nor am I a pansy. That drunken man should've kept his hands to himself." She retorted rather snidely. It wasn't that she was trying to be an ass toward him but his comment had officially, in her mind, turned him into an egotistical sexist pig. "Now, is there a problem with me or my actions because if not then I'm going to happily return to my own thoughts and my drink which has now begun to get warm," She cocked her eyebrow and just stared at him as if bored with even his presence.

"Just be careful that you don't attract unsavory attention otherwise I'll have to ask you to leave the premises." The bouncer warned sighing in partial annoyance at her rather bored expression. _It's going to be a long night_, he thought as he eyed her sternly.

"You tell them to keep their bloody ass hands to themselves that way I won't need a reason to incite another ruckus." She gave him a quaint smile before turning back to the bar not really caring whether the conversation was finished or not.

"Don't worry about Michael he's a blowhard. He doesn't like people doing his job." The bartender smiled replacing her now ruined drink with a fresh one free of charge. "It's nice to see a woman stand up for herself around here for a change." He gave her a smile and an approving nod before moving to tend to other customers who had begun to holler for drinks.

Well at least the bartender was a nice enough guy, a quiet change from the people she'd come in contact with in this joint so far. _There are still good ones out there I guess—few and far between—but still out there_, she mused listening as the DJ hyped up the crowd that had once again filled that rarely empty space that was the dance floor. She took drink in hand and turned to watch their sweat clogged insanity. Breaking Benjamin's _I Will Not Bow_ came blasting through the club's speakers and the dance floor went into strobe light covered frenzy…


	3. Let the Trouble Begin

_I will not bow, I will not break_

_I will shut the world away_

_ I will not fall, I will not fade_

_ I will take your breath away_

_(Lyrics to song: I Will Not Bow: Artist: Breaking Benjamin)_

"Now I know for sure Alice is crazy," Bella muttered shrugging her purse strap over her shoulder as we entered the club, passing through their checkpoint with no problems other than the bouncer checking identification asking Alice, not once but twice, if she was over 21.

"Not crazy Bella," Alice insisted turning and taking her by the arms. "Stop fretting; this is going to be fun, which," She turned then to look at Rose and the boys, "is what celebrating Halloween is all about."

"I have to admit, Alice, this place definitely knows good music," I agreed banging my head to the music and letting my gaze sweep the club, noticing in my careful observation the exits and any other doors and windows that might be important in case of the need to use them.

_Watch the end through dying eyes_

_Now the dark is taking over_

_Show me where forever dies_

_Take the fall and run to heaven_

_All is lost again, but I'm not giving in_

_(Lyrics to Song: I Will Not Bow: Artist: Breaking Benjamin)_

"I will not bow; I will not break…"Emmett sang the lyrics to the chorus more or less in Rose's ear. "I will shut the world away, I will not fall, I will not fade, I will take your breath away," He leaned forward and blew in the same ear he'd been singing into.

"Emmett," Rose spun to face him nearly causing a pile up of everyone being as she stopped without any previous warning, "McCarty Cullen, would you cut it out!" She scolded her voice rising above the blaring music to grab the attention of most of the people at the bar.

"Gees you two," Jasper sniped, "Get a damn room if you're going to act like baboons in heat." He gave Emmett a firm thump on the back of his head. "Now that everyone in this place knows we're here, maybe we should find a corner and try to disappear before we end up in more trouble."

Rose gave Jasper a seething glare, "We're no worse than you and Alice." She shoved past him and followed Bella and Alice toward a quiet corner at the upper left corner of the dance floor caddy-corner to the bar.

"Thanks bro, now's she's going to be in a funk the rest of the night." Emmett more or less whined as we followed the girls.

"She has the same panties to get glad in," I muttered stepping around my brothers and sitting down next to my wife.

"Please you guys, try to be civil so we don't cause any undo ruckus. I really don't feel like explaining to Carlisle why one of us ended up in jail." Alice insisted her voice quavering a bit toward the end. I knew she'd had a vision because once she refocused she gave an exaggerated sigh but said no more.

I didn't question what Alice had seen, her visions were about as normal as reading a book these days. I let my gaze sweep the room, surveying the moshing dance floor and the different groups of people that were crowded around the bar. One of the patrons, I noticed then as my gaze swept the bar, was watching us rather intently. When she noticed my gaze on her, she immediately diverted her own back to the dance floor.

"Edward, is something wrong?" Bella questioned putting her hand against my arm in an effort to break me from my daze, "Babe?"

"Hmm…" I turned then briefly to gaze into her beautiful eyes before glancing back to the bar to find the lady once again staring over at us. "Interesting indeed," I muttered feeling the lady's thoughts and realizing then that she was actually projecting them outward.

"What's so interesting babe?" Bella asked turning to look in the direction in which I was still more or less staring. "It's a bar, you can't tell me that you've never seen one before, I mean you're definitely not Pinocchio."

I smiled and shook my head, "We're being watched, as if the person sensed..." I immediately clammed up as the waitress came over to take our drink orders. "An Anchor Steam, two Rockslides, and three Bloody Marys hold the rocks," I told the waitress before anyone else could find the chance.

"Sure thing," The waitress answered taking my payment before snaking her way back through the crowd to the bar.

_I will not bow, I will not break_

_I will shut the world away_

_I will not fall, I will not fade_

_I will take your breath away_

(Lyrics to song: I Will Not Bow: Artist: Breaking Benjamin)

"There was a time when I would've refused to drink a Bloody Mary," Jasper mused his mind drifting then back to a time when he was actually human and not vampire. Being originally from Texas gave Jasper a totally different view on liquor than most of the rest of our bunch.

"You should've said something; I just ordered what we normally order." I gave him a questioning expression as if to ask him what other liquor he previously preferred and whether he wanted that instead of the Bloody Mary.

"Jas baby, you like Bloody Marys," Alice laced her hand into his and gave him a quick but loving kiss on his cheek.

He gave a slight nod, "I haven't always liked them though. Whiskey is one of my favorites; leaves you all hot and squishy inside."

Rose scowled and gave a rather haughty huff. "Disgusting," she muttered rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. It was a good thing for her that she kept her mouth shut and her thoughts caged when the waitress returned lest I was going to end up going against one of my more insistent principles: that a man never laid violent hand on a woman.

"Oh Rose, stop being such a prude," Alice ordered keeping her voice low so the waitress didn't suspect trouble. She smiled as the drinks were put on the table and passed out to the appropriate person, and then turned to Jasper her expression asking the same question that I had asked previously and not gotten an answer.

"Anything else I can get for you guys?" The waitress asked studying all of us curiously. She didn't come right out and say it but she knew there was something different about us, her thoughts were ringing loud and clear in my mind.

"Jas, do you want a whiskey shot?" I pressed not wanting to keep the waitress any longer than was absolutely necessary.

"Sure why not, it's been years so maybe I won't get hooked again." He answered nodding to the waitress in gratitude before she moved back toward the bar to fulfill his order.

Alice gave him a strange look as if she was appalled that he'd at one time been slightly addicted to the taste of whiskey. "You weren't...I mean you didn't…"

"No I didn't and I wasn't, but the taste sure was tempting." The force of his words put a halt to the continuation of the conversation. "No faith, I swear." He shook his head at her before giving her a return kiss on the cheek.

I could not help but snicker. Those two made one hell of a couple even if they could be a bit overwhelming at times.

"Hey Jas, I used to drink whiskey as well, used to play this great game with the shot glasses," Emmett added flashing a competitive smile. "We should get a fifth and some extra shot glasses and play, I bet I can win."

"You do realize that neither of you can get drunk right?" Bella reminded attempting to stall this battle of wits and wills before it turned into trouble of the worst kind. "And besides we don't need to draw that kind of attention, remember what Esme said about causing trouble."

Emmett reached over and gave Bella's hair a firm tug, "Loosen up, ain't nothing gonna happen. Have a little fun for once, I mean gees, it is Halloween after all." He shifted in his seat in an attempt to avoid being punched on the arm, the tactic failed as she caught him anyway.

"Bella has a point, no reason to try for trouble if we don't have to," I agreed smiling at my wife who kept goading Emmett into tugging on her hair so she could continue to slug him in the arm each time. I shook my head, my gaze focusing first on my drink and then over my shoulder briefly at the bar. Our admirer was still sitting in the same seat she had been before but now it was surrounded by a rather tipsy crowd of guys.

"Emmett cut it out, I mean it I'm about to get up from this chair and kick your butt!" Bella's raised voice brought my attention back to the table. He had changed tactics; now instead of just tugging he was yanking out single strands of hair from the hairline at the base of her neck.

"You might whip me at arm wrestling but darling that's the only way you'll ever whip me," he taunted his competitive smile growing even larger and more intense by the moment. He gave her an all to over confident wink.

"I wouldn't tempt fate Emmett, you might lose your shirt," Alice mused snickering in her usual all-knowing pixie fashion. "Bella, let's hit the dance floor, let these boys and the prude do their drinking and or sulking."

"Uhm," Bella hesitated looking out at the overly crowded dance floor with an uncertainty that could've filled the largest of the liquor bottles. "I don't know, I mean what if…" She turned her gaze on Alice and then on me.

"Oh for the love of crickets, relax and have fun would you? It's not like there's a monster on that dance floor that is going to gobble up two not so human young people." Alice rolled her eyes and shook her head. She stood and reached to take Bella by the arm.

Bella resisted, her uncertain, mostly questioning gaze locking with mine as if to ask me what my thoughts were—whether she should give in to Alice or not. I could see the hesitation in her expression and it left her a bit paler even with the cosmetics than her normal color.

I smiled lovingly at her and kissed her on the temple. "Go have fun but you two stay out of the middle of that mob. No reason to attract attention as I'm sure there's going to be plenty once these two start playing with the booze," I reminded, "Even if they can't actually get drunk." I turned a rather severe gaze on Rose, "Get your snotty ass up and go with them. No use you sitting here acting like you've been dipped in skunk perfume and hung in front of a box fan."

Rose stomped her foot and with a huff stood up, the comment and her response drawing muffled snickering from Jasper and even Emmett who did his best to keep from it in such close proximity to his mate's rogue temper tantrums. She gave Emmett a hard thump on the ear as she moved past him, locking a cold, haughty glare on Jasper, "Bite me Jasper," she hissed giving her own ass a firm slap to make her point. _And as for you Edward, you're not Carlisle so stop acting like him_, she followed Alice and Bella onto the dance floor, her body language speaking volumes about how much she'd rather have stayed at home.

"Last time I was told 'bite me' the person promptly got their head ripped off," Jasper growled his tone just low and sincere enough to send a trickle of shivers up my spine. He wasn't one to hide his temper or his thoughts unless the situation absolutely required him to do so. On the other hand, he wasn't one that often lost his temper for no good reason. The problem with his nature was when he did lose it; the only saving grace for his victims was to pray that they found a fox hole before he exploded. And with Jasper, the fuse was short, very flammable and when lit it tended to burn extremely fast.


	4. Quarters

"So are you two going to play this useless drinking game or not?" I questioned keeping my gaze split between Emmett and Jasper and the girls who were now on the dance floor. My question seemed to usher in the appearance of our waitress who was once again checking on her paying customers. For a waitress at a late night club that featured too much liquor and too many half drunk, half crazed teenagers, she wasn't half bad looking—for a human female anyway. I watched her as she snaked her way across the throbbing dance floor, stopping only long enough to remove some drunken slob's hand from the back pocket of her leather pants. I shook my head. _That punk had best not try that with my wife, lest he may meet his maker sooner than expected_.

"_What dirty thoughts you keep Edward_," Jasper's thoughts rang loud and clear in my mind even if he didn't voice it aloud in an effort to keep our identities away from the waitress who was rather impatiently awaiting our attention.

"Can I get you guys anything?" The waitress asked giving me a flirtatious wink as she pulled out her order book. "For such a handsome crowd, you guys have sure avoided the dance floor. I just know there are some very willing ladies out there that would love to dance." She winked at me once more as I turned my attention to Emmett, my expression questioning whether he still wanted the whiskey and the two extra shot glasses or not.

Emmett smiled in my direction as if he thought this flirting waitress was quite hilarious. Of course it probably was to him considering he knew all to well the consequences if Bella found out that I had taken a willing part in seducing a human female. He turned his gaze to her, "Fifth of Jack and a couple of extra shot glasses. Just put it on his tab," he insisted before I had the chance to protest the fact that I was the one purchasing the liquor for their useless game.

"Sure thing," she made a note of the order in her book, her gaze popping up to focus on me. She licked her lips enticingly then glanced down at her watch. "My shift ends in half an hour, want to hit the dance floor and show me a good time you hot body you?" She gave me an alluring smile.

"Thanks for the offer but I'm already spoken for," I answered trying to let her down easy. She seemed to be a sweet enough lady and hopefully my sudden rejection of her advances wouldn't lead to any long-term emotional scarring. I had already once been drawn to a human female and she was now no longer human and now my wife after much trial and many tribulations. I had decided that one time down that dark, rather disjointed road was plenty enough for me.

She gave a rather disappointed nod then turned and snaked her way back across the dance floor to fill our order. She had also refreshed our current drinks without even being asked and I decided that when we chose to leave I would leave her a healthy tip to show my appreciation for her prompt service. Maybe the extra cash would brighten her spirits and take her mind off of me and my rejection of her offer.

"Damn Edward, you sure know how to break their hearts," Emmett's comment merely gave me the opportunity to roll my eyes at him. Being faithful to my wife was no cardinal sin and besides that young lady didn't need know that the guy she was lusting for wasn't exactly human.

"He's a heartbreaker alright," Jasper added beginning to snicker wildly, "But he sure knows how to lay it on thick when it comes to buttering up Bella."

"Shut up, Jas," I couldn't help but snicker even though I knew that Jasper was picking on me in the worst way. I was about to give him a solid punch on the shoulder when the waitress returned with the whiskey and more than just a couple extra shot glasses.

She gave a seductive smile and a wink as she set the whiskey and the extra glasses down on the table, "Anything else I can get you three hotties?"

Jasper smiled sending calm through to her, "I don't think so darling considering our wives would have our heads." He grinned, giving her a wink in return. The insinuation was enough to make her blush with sudden embarrassment, and she turned to leave. We all knew that her pheromone levels had skyrocketed just from the scent now wafting off of her body as she moved quickly back toward the bar.

"Playa," Emmett joked snickering at the way Jasper watched the waitress disappear across the dance floor.

"And you should be talking Jas," I added merely shaking my head in amusement before turning my attention to the dance floor and the bar.

"Yeah, well what can I say," He smiled, straightening his shirt collar with a quick motion that matched the sure, comfortable cockiness that came with someone who knew their skill with others. I almost could still imagine, in his first life, just what havoc his charisma had brought to others, especially of the female persuasion, compared to his cocksure demeanor now. "When you have it, you have it."

"Once a Chippendale, always a Chippendale," Emmett teased beginning to set up the extra shot glasses so that they could begin playing the mindless drinking game that he was so certain he could win.

"Well Emmett, at least I have it," He retorted running his hand through his hair, goading Emmett into what I knew would end up being an argument of epic proportions.

I watched as the first round of their drinking game finished with Jasper easily winning the whiskey shot. I wondered if either of them realized that this game was futile. Because neither of them could actually get drunk, neither of them would be able to actually win unless they were just seeing who could drink the most shots before they ran out of glasses. The DJ's announcement of the next song brought my attention back to the dance floor as I scoured it in an attempt to once again locate the girls.

_Words like violence_

_Break the silence_

_Come crashing in_

_Into my little world_

_Painful to me_

_Pierce right through me_

_Can't you understand_

_Oh my little girl_

(Lyrics to Song: Enjoy The Silence: Artist: Depeche Mode)

I caught sight of Bella and Alice briefly before my attention was drawn to the bar where some drunken slob was about to end up in worse trouble than if he was sober. "I said I'd be back now get the hell out of my chair bitch before I throw you out." My sensitive ears caught a faint response that was sarcastic and I didn't have to see the man to know the next step was something that would piss him off.

_All I ever wanted_

_All I ever needed_

_Is here in my arms_

_Words are very unnecessary_

_They can only do harm_

(Lyrics to Song: Enjoy the Silence: Artist: Depeche Mode)

The second round of Jasper and Emmett's drinking game went to Emmett but the consensus was still out as to whether he won it fair and square or not. "You suck, Emmett," Jasper mused snickering as his brother had to reach beneath the table to retrieve two of the shot glasses that had somehow ended up there.

"Shut up Jas, we're tied," Emmett insisted putting the rogue glasses back in their proper places and filling them with whiskey.

"I think you cheated but I can't prove it." Jasper's attention, like mine had been drawn temporarily to the commotion that was brewing in and around the bar. He knew as well as I did with the club being overly crowded that it wouldn't take much to provoke big trouble and even if we weren't attempting to get involved it would inevitably happen anyway due to the tightly packed dance floor and the number of already staggering drunk people hanging around the bar.

"I did not cheat," Emmett insisted resetting a few of the other empty glasses, "I bumped them with my arm. You're the one cheating; you don't even flip the quarter right."

"It doesn't matter as long as your hand doesn't leave the table during the flip," Jasper reminded trying his best not to bust out laughing as he won another round, "Like I said, you suck."

"Screw you Jas," Emmett muttered trying to keep his voice low enough to prevent trouble from the surrounding tables.

"Emmett quit trying to fib to an empath," I interrupted trying not to goad either of them into furthering this useless argument. "Its like trying to lie on a lie detector test, it just gets you into nothing but trouble." I had no sooner finished those words when the commotion at the bar spilled over into the dance floor and it dawned on me that the girls were now trapped on the other side. The commotion alone was enough to halt Jasper and Emmett's argument mid-stream.


	5. Unexpected Help

_Vows are spoken_

_To be broken_

_Feelings are intense_

_Words are trivial_

_Pleasures remain_

_So does the pain_

_Words are meaningless_

_And forgettable_

(Lyrics to Song: Enjoy the Silence: Artist: Depeche Mode)

"Touch me again and I swear I will use your skull for a bottle opener," Adia threatened her voice cold. Her patience had worn thin, thin enough that she was beyond caring whether she got thrown out of the club or not and irritated at the bouncer for pretending to be blind to what was going on.

"Get the fuck away from my seat bitch," He hollered his words slurred so much that he sounded as if he'd just awoken from a coma. He pushed her backward, the momentum sending her slamming into the mass of people that were pulsating at the edge of the dance floor.

"Hey, just leave her alone man," His buddies called some of them grabbing at his shirt and pulling him back in an effort to get him to quit with the threatening behavior.

The alcohol had overwhelmed all lucid thought and he shrugged them off, his inebriated glare focused totally on her. He picked up an empty bottle from the bar, breaking it against a nearby table to expose sharp shards of glass. "Teach you a lesson bitch," he threatened waving the bottle in her direction. Even though his words were so slurred that they were nearly unintelligible, his hand seemed to steady as he brandished what was now a deadly weapon and staggered into the dance floor crowd.

The crowd, so mesmerized by the thumping of the music, never realized that he was intending to injure another patron. Just the motion of dancing alone either worked to shove him further onto the dance floor or unintentionally create a path for him. As he got closer and she reached the other side of the room, the obstacles became more than just masses of sweaty bodies.

_All I ever wanted_

_All I ever needed_

_Is here in my arms_

_Words are very unnecessary_

_They can only do harm_

(Lyrics to Song: Enjoy the Silence: Artist: Depeche Mode)

"Excuse you," Alice insisted giving the drunken slob that had just shoved his way between them a hard push. "They are called manners and they are meant to be used, you prick," He waved the broken bottle at her in warning. She never flinched but leveled a cold, withering glare upon him and motioned for him to vacate the area were they were dancing.

"Fuck you slut!" He retorted the words melding together into something that sounded totally retarded.

He paused only briefly to glare back at her knocking Bella to the side with his arm. She stumbled back as he caught her on the arm with the sharp end of the bottle before moving on toward his original target. "Asshole!" She hissed punching him hard in the back as he passed. She grabbed her arm in reaction to the sharp stinging pain.

"Let me see," Alice insisted taking her arm. The sleeve of her blouse was sliced open just below her elbow as was the flesh beneath the fabric and dark, thick blood was already beginning to ooze forth into the cut. "Great," She muttered pulling a handkerchief from her pocket and using it to snugly bandage the wound.

"End up in trouble without even trying…figures," Rose muttered as the drunken slob turned back toward them, brandishing the bottle wildly, even angrier than before.

"You stupid little slut," He swung the bottle wildly in an attempt to slice one of them. He swung again only to have his hand caught on the backswing. The force whirled him around into a face to face confrontation with Emmett who had left their table to purchase another fifth of whiskey in order to finish his drinking game with Jasper.

"You really need to learn how to play nice with the ladies," Emmett shoved the man backward away from where Alice and the girls had been dancing. He ripped the bottle from the drunk's hands as the man stumbled back and landed on his ass in the floor.

"Fuck you!" He grabbed a knife from a concealed sheath at his ankle as he got to his feet, swinging the blade with more purpose than was normal for someone who was wasted on liquor, at Emmett. "You and those whores are gonna pay," He screamed brandishing the knife, barely missing Emmett's chest with the next swipe.

"I doubt that," Emmett retorted easily stepping out of the way of the second attempt before someone else put themselves in danger on the third one. The interruption of the confrontation by the young woman whom had been watching them from the bar was a surprise even to the drunken punk who had been hounding her regularly all night long.

"Didn't your momma teach you not to play with sharp objects," Adia goaded, her presence stopping the man's wild swinging and slashing cold.

"You bitch, now I will have my seat back permanently," He stared at her, a smile slowly snaking its way across his expression. Without warning, he grabbed her arm, slicing open her forearm as he yanked her in close. He sank the knife twice into her shoulder, once dead-center and then another just above her collarbone. With a violent twisting motion he pulled it from the flesh there and sank it into her abdomen, pushing it in all the way up to the hilt, before wrenching it free once more.

Emmett reacted, connecting his elbow with the man's chest and then his face. He ripped the knife from his hand and pitched it to the floor. "Now for a lesson in manners," He lifted the man over his head and with little effort pitched him into the air, his body slamming down into the top of one of the tables causing the table to break and crash to the floor. "Enough said," he walked over to where the guy was now laying barely conscious and finished it by slamming the heel of his hiking boot into the man's temple.

The masses of people parted leaving a huge empty space as they all either crowded nervously around the bar or became wallflowers plastered against the club's walls. The silence was interfused at regular intervals by hushed whispering and shocked gasps as they stood watching a scene of life or death unfold before their eyes.

"_Edward_," Bella called to me through her mind as she knelt down next to the young woman who now lay bleeding in the middle of the dance floor. "Easy, don't move," She coaxed using her hands to somewhat curb the flow of blood. "Alice, go get some towels and hurry." She put her hand against the woman's chest to keep track of her respirations as I came to kneel at her side. "She's losing blood fast."

I took the towels from Alice, doubled them to create thick pads, and placed them against the hemorrhaging wounds. "Put pressure against these wounds."

Adia shivered, her muscles twitching in response to the overwhelming pain and the resulting shock. She tried to speak, her voice dying before it ever left her lungs. The result was nothing more than a rattling exhalation of air. She didn't have to have medical training to know that her wounds were grave and that she was slowly dying. The mere thought of death terrified her to the point that she almost passed out.

"Her pulse is thready and growing faint," Jasper added, one hand against her neck, the other holding pressure against the two wounds on the woman's shoulder. He focused upon her, feeling her sudden fear and the steady drain of her life-force. "Just breathe, and stay calm." He leaned in close, "Can you give me your name?"

She sucked in a weak, ragged breath, "Adia," her voice faded towards the end. She struggled to remain coherent as her breathing became more and more distressed. "I…"

"Shhh, don't talk anymore," Jasper took hold of her hand, "Just focus on me," He began working to keep her calm and keep her conscious, knowing that if she lost consciousness she would perish before they had a chance to even attempt to help her.

"The DJ called the cops and since Emmett got into an altercation with that asshole, we are going to be the center of attention." Rose admitted the annoyance at the situation very obvious in the tone of her voice.

"Figures," Jasper muttered realizing then that if they didn't move fast they were going to be in deep trouble.

"She's going into shock from the internal damage." I looked up at Alice who had her cell phone in hand before I even gave the command. "Call Carlisle and you know what to tell him." She gave a nod already waiting for an answer.

A few minutes later, she ended the phone call, "Carlisle will be waiting on us at the house. The hospital ER is a madhouse and too crowded for his comfort in this situation. He said he can always rush her back to the hospital if needed," Alice revealed watching Jasper and I work to get the young woman, who was now just barely conscious, at least somewhat stable using only what we had readily available.

I added another layer of towels over the top of the current bandages using the extra padding to provide more pressure against the hemorrhaging. "Use the tape to hold these pads snug, pull it as tight as you can."

Jasper took the duct tape from Alice—tape that she had obviously gotten from the bartender or the DJ in her quest to harvest towels, "Got it," He found the free end of the roll of tape and began tearing it into long strips.

"Alice, you and Rose stick with Emmett," I ordered realizing then that several law enforcement officers led by Charlie had just entered the building, "Call if the situation gets worse or if Emmett well…"

"Will do," Alice answered watching me work. _It's like watching a clone of Carlisle_, she thought, as my hands, steady and sure, never faltered. _He never seems to be uncertain of the next course of action even when he's not totally certain_.

As I worked, Jasper securely fastened the makeshift bandages in place, pulling the tape as tight as he could without causing further injury. When he finished, he retook the woman's hand, "Adia," he called, "Focus on me and just listen, don't try to talk or respond. We're going get you some medical attention, just be still and let us do the work."

She tried to squeeze his hand in response but it failed. She could feel her body gradually going cold. Her muscles twitched uncontrollably as her nervous system slowly began to shut down. She fought to keep herself focused enough to even remain alive. The only thing she could do was blink in reaction to his words and even that reflexive movement seemed to drain her already waning strength.

"Let's go, she's bleeding out," Jasper and I carefully lifted the woman from the floor leaving behind a pool of already clotting blood. Jasper gave Alice a quick kiss on the cheek before we exited the club…


	6. Pain

[Adia's POV]

_Cause it's not my time I'm not going_

_There's a fear in me it's not showing_

_This could be the end of me_

_And everything I know_

_Oh but I won't go_

(Lyrics to Song: Not My Time: Artist: 3 Doors Down)

_White light, blindingly bright blurred my vision as my eyes blinked open. My body felt as though currents of hot fire were coursing through it as my awareness finally stabilized enough for me to realize that I was no longer in a place I recognized. I was laying on something cold and metal and my limbs, no matter how hard I tried, would not budge. "Hey, what's happening to me, where am…" A wave of blackness overwhelmed me pushing me back into unconsciousness…_

_ "_Adia," A voice called from somewhere in the distance.

_ I heard my name and felt stabbing pains in my arm and then again in my neck. Cool air in my face pushed away the blackness and my eyelids were no longer so heavy that I couldn't open them. There was a man standing over me, he wore a white coat and a comforting smile graced his features. He placed his hand against my cheek, the ice cold pressure pulling my focus to him. _

"My name is Carlisle Cullen, and this is my son Edward. Your condition is critical and without my aide you will bleed to death. I'm going to prepare you so that you can survive treatment of your injuries, blink at me if you understand?"

_I blinked in understanding and tried to thank him. The attempt failed completely and the effort nearly sank me back into blackness. I weakly shook my head as the doctor gently coaxed my mouth open and shined a light down my throat. I could hear something being picked up from a tray nearby but I couldn't turn my head to see what it was. The inability to move sent a wave of utter panic crashing over me, the brunt of which must have shown in my eyes._

"Relax, you're pinned where you can't move," Carlisle soothed keeping my attention focused on him, "My son is going to give you some medication first to help you relax and then to numb your chest and abdomen. All I want you to do is just remain calm and follow my instructions."

_I felt his hand against my arm in a gesture of calm support and then the burning sensation as medication was injected into what I guessed was an IV in my neck. I didn't dare try to move or speak for I was terrified of the looming blackness and the possibility of never waking up from it should I let it overcome me. _

"You're going to feel numbness now in your chest and abdomen." Carlisle watched me closely, never taking his attention from me for more and a few minutes at a time as he prepared me for what I knew would be significant time spent under the knife to repair the damage of my wounds. "The relaxation properties of this medication will cause your muscles to feel very weak and heavy." He warned watching what I assumed was a bank of monitors that were outside of my own line of sight.

_A warm sensation spread over my chest and abdomen and as it crept outward; my entire body began to relax. I blinked my eyes, forcing myself not to drift into sleep. I realized suddenly that my ability to feel myself breathe had disappeared and a feeling of intense pressure began radiating throughout my chest and abdomen as the numbness strengthened and expanded. My expression turned apprehensive even if my mind was now too foggy to really notice. I felt his hand again as it carefully opened my mouth and began gently guiding a tube into my throat._

"Adia, I need you to swallow for me," He instructed putting gentle pressure under my chin in an effort to keep my head in the proper position. "Easy, swallow," He coaxed feeling for the tube's correct final placement and expanding the balloon to seat it properly. The intubation procedure finished, he secured the tube in place first with a guard that fit in my mouth around the tube and then with several strips of tape. He connected the tubing, linking the tube in my throat to the proper machinery.

_ "Oh god, I'm going to suffocate," I couldn't breathe and with the tube fixed securely in my windpipe, I had no way to relay my feelings even if I had been strong enough to speak. "Please help, I…" All of the sudden, there was a hissing sound and with it came an automatic breath. The air being pushed into my lungs immediately eased my alarm as I realized that I was now able to breathe. My gaze shifted to focus on him, my eyes suddenly growing extremely heavy. The more I tried to blink back the heaviness the worse it became._

"Adia, just relax and allow your eyes to close," Edward coaxed watching me futilely fight against the sudden overwhelming urge to sleep, "It's okay, don't fight it."

_My eyes drooped; my awareness diminishing as the fog of medication induced unconsciousness overwhelmed me. I heard his voice briefly over the hissing of the machine that was now in control of my breathing, and felt the cold of his hand against my arm as he checked my pulse…_

_Cause it's not my time I'm not going_

_There's a fear in me but it's not showing_

_This could be the end of me_

_And everything I know_

_But it's not my time I'm not going_

_There's a will in me and now I know that_

_This could be the end of me_

_And everything I know_

_Oh but I won't go_

_I won't go_

(Lyrics to Song: Not My Time: Artist: 3 Doors Down)

_My eyes fluttered, still heavy with sleep as I fought to open them. There was a constant pressure radiating outward across my chest and down through my abdomen bringing with it a horrible cold, "What's happening am I dying? I thought…" I could feel myself beginning to shiver; the cold growing worse by the moment. _

"Easy, just relax," He coaxed his voice calm, "The surgery is over," He covered me with a blanket and I felt his hand as he gently examined me. "Rest and let the residual anesthetic wear off, you're safe."

_The voice was familiar, the same voice that had comforted me at some point before my surgery. I relaxed allowing the warmth of what I assumed was a heated blanket to ease not only my shivering but also my continuing apprehension about the situation. I had come to close to death to be comfortable with my current condition even though it seemed that I was doing much better than I had been previously. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the foggy heaviness lifted enough for me to open my eyes. I blinked back the blurriness and allowed my gaze to survey my surroundings or what I could see of them anyway. _

"Are you in pain?" Carlisle questioned quickly shaking his head at me before I had the chance to try and answer him, "Just blink once if you're in pain, twice if you're not. You are unable to talk for now as your breathing is still being assisted," I felt the pressure of his hand as he moved it along my cheek, putting pressure against something that felt like tubing.

_I blinked twice. I felt nothing beyond the heavy lethargy of one who had large amounts of multiple medications flowing through their bloodstream. I closed my eyes briefly in mild discomfort as he suctioned the excess mucus from my airway and the tubing. When I opened them again, my confusion as to why I still could not move, even to turn my head, was plainly obvious in my expression._

He smiled seeming to know what was bothering me even without any explanation, "You will be able to move soon, but for now you need to rest and remain still so that the injuries to your abdomen will heal properly." He gave me a pat on the arm as I began to tire once more. "IV medications are making you drowsy, just relax and rest."

_This time I gave into sleep without fighting for I was beginning to feel the drain of injury upon my body. Every fiber of my being was exhausted from the shock of just the wounds and blood loss alone. The surgery had been long, several hours if I had overheard my physician correctly and it had totally sapped what remained of my strength. I allowed my eyes to slowly close, flinching ever-so-slightly as the ringing of a phone broke the semi-quiet of the room. I heard their voices and my name just before I gave in to medication induced slumber..._


	7. Emmett

_Emmett_

"Just what the hell were you guys doing at that place?" Charlie questioned his tone harboring more concern than actual anger as he processed Emmett into the jail's computer system. Alice watched him type the name into the system, a faint smile perking up her features as he intentionally used an alternate last name in an effort to protect not only Emmett from any lasting ridicule but Carlisle as well. "It's dangerous and especially on a holiday such as Halloween," he looked up from the keyboard his expression demanding a straight answer to his question.

"We were looking to have some fun," Alice answered realizing how lame her response sounded only after her gaze locked with Charlie, "Look, Emmett didn't do anything wrong. He was trying to protect us from some drunken sot who was brandishing first a broken bottle and then a knife. A young woman might die because of that asshole. Please Charlie…you can't…"

It was apparent that he really didn't want to have to incarcerate Emmett but that he really had no choice. "I'm sorry Alice. He will remain confined until I get a straight story as to what happened from my detectives." He took Emmett's fingerprints and scanned them into the system along with his license number and information to be sure that there were no other outstanding warrants on his record. After a few minutes of studying the computer screen, his focus returned to her. "Look, he will have to submit to a B.A test and if he's drunk it is only going to make this worse."

"Charlie, Emmett is not drunk, he…" She stopped in mid-sentence realizing that blurting out the fact that Emmett couldn't get drunk would only serve to add to the suspicion of others. "He was defending us and that poor woman, that's all he was doing."

"Maybe so but until I get a straight story as to what actually happened and a report from the hospital as to the condition of the so called attacker, he has to remain here. If it turns out that the other was at fault and Emmett's actions were in self-defense as you say then I can release him into adult custody, until then I'm sorry." He insisted taking Emmett by the arm.

He didn't resist as Charlie guided him to one of the solitary holding cells and unlocked the door. He stepped into the cell and stood still as Charlie closed and locked the cell door behind him.

"Emmett, if you need something just ask," Charlie reminded clipping the keys back onto the ring at his belt He moved once more to the desk and provided both Alice and Rose with the proper paperwork to file a statement as to what had taken place at the club. "Give your statement. Be as detailed as possible and leave nothing out."

"Told you this was a bad idea," Rose hissed rolling her eyes in obvious disgust at even being involved in this growing disaster. She took the clipboard with the paperwork and a pen and flopped down in one of the chairs that lined the wall of the processing area.

"Shut up Rose or else…"Alice retorted, leaving the paperwork briefly to go over to the cell where Emmett was being held, still in handcuffs. "Don't worry Emmett; we'll get you out of here. Are you okay?" She questioned noticing the faint bruise that was beginning to appear just beneath his right eye.

He gave a rather disheartened nod, and she could tell that he was trying very hard not to be worried even though deep down he was terrified—not of being incarcerated but of Carlisle's reaction and the storm of temper that was no doubt going to explode when he found out what had happened. "I didn't do anything Alice, I just wanted to…"

Alice shook her head, "I know and we will get you out of here, just don't give up Emmett," She reached through the bars of the cell door and put her hands on his arms. "Look at me," she insisted waiting until she had his full attention before trying to further console him, "Your actions saved lives, you did the right thing. This is just protocol until Charlie has the whole story that's all." She squeezed his arms in an effort to comfort him some. "I'm going to go sign a statement and make a phone call and then I'll come back and check on you, deal?"

"Yeah," he answered his expression a myriad of emotions the strongest of them being fear of Carlisle's temper. He watched her as she took the clipboard from the desk and quickly filled out the paperwork, clearly and concisely writing out her own statement as to what took place before getting up and stepping out of the room into the foyer to use her cell phone…


	8. Meetings

"If she doesn't contract an abdominal infection, then she might pull through this after all." Edward agreed as he watched the woman's vital signs fluctuate on the monitors.

Carlisle gave a nod, "The next two days will determine her fate. Right now it is the shock and her weak, still fluctuating vital signs that are concerning. We may have no choice but to take drastic measures." He pulled his phone from the pocket of his jacket as it rang for about the third or fourth time since the surgery had begun.

"You might want to answer that, its Alice," Edward admitted realizing then that it had been several hours since the incident at the club. Rose and Alice had not been home since he had left them with Emmett and he knew, without any contact from them, the reason behind their absence.

He gave his son a questioning glare, "Is there something you're not telling me Edward?" He pressed his tone cold and rather stern. "It's not wise to keep secrets, remember?"

Edward didn't answer not because he was intentionally keeping information from Carlisle but because he really didn't know any information outside of the situation that had been in progress as he, Jasper and Bella had left the club to bring Adia to the house for medical treatment. He motioned for Carlisle to answer his phone, nodding in affirmation of the reminder.

"Carlisle," He answered after letting it ring at least a dozen times. It was Alice, just as Edward had said it would be and he didn't have to ask if there was something wrong, he could hear the uncertainty and concern in her voice.

"Are you busy? I mean did the young lady survive?" Under normal circumstances, the incessant flow of questions would have been met with patient answers but Carlisle was already suspicious. He was in no mood to be patient with Alice's usual method of avoiding subjects that she wasn't sure how to broach.

"Of course Alice, I'm always busy and yes, Adia has survived…for now," His tone grew more clipped until finally he grew tired of the run around. "Alice, tell me what is going on, now please."

There was a lingering silence and he could hear what sounded like a telephone ringing in the background. "Uhmm, you need to come down to the police station. You're going to need to post bail for Emmett, don't ask I'll explain everything in person."

"Emmett McCarty Cullen!" He fumed under his breath totally forgetting to place his hand over the end of the receiver. "How much is the bail?" He questioned his voice now cold and firm. It was plainly obvious that he was on the verge of cursing; the only thing holding him back was Adia's currently sleeping form.

"I'll explain everything," Alice insisted keeping her tone level and overly calm, "It's not what you think."

"Fifteen minutes, Alice, fifteen minutes, and I want a full explanation. Tell Emmett to be prepared to give me, in detail, what happened to end him in jail, do you understand?"

"Yes, understood, just please don't lose your temper with Emmett; he's already feeling very guilty and depressed. He was merely trying to defend everyone including the girl." She allowed him to bring the conversation to a close on his own terms.

"I will do my best, Alice," Carlisle ended the phone call. He removed his white coat and placed the phone into the pocket of his pants before whirling to face his son. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, were you aware of this situation with Emmett?" His kept his voice down and his tone calm but in it there was a brewing danger if the truth was avoided.

"Here's what I know: Emmett saved lives by taking out the drunken bastard that nearly killed her and threatened the girls," He answered smoothly. He knew Carlisle, deep down, was far more concerned for Emmett and their future here than he was angry at Emmett's current situation. "If he hadn't interfered when he did, she," He pointed toward Adia, "Would not have made it here."

"Stay here with her," He ordered locking gazes with his son, "When I return, I want you and the others to meet me in the den for a mandatory family meeting, no exceptions." He checked the medical equipment surrounding Adia once more before putting on his jacket and taking his keys from its pocket. "If anything changes while I'm away, let me know immediately."

Edward gave a nod not wishing to place any more strain upon Carlisle's temper at least not tonight. He watched him adjust the blankets covering Adia and check the monitor once more before leaving to go rescue Emmett…

_Fear is withering the soul_

_At the point of no return._

_We must be the change we wish to see._

_I'll come into your world,_

_See through your eyes._

_I'll try to understand,_

_Before we lose what we have._

(Lyrics to Song: See Who I Am: Artist: Within Temptation)

It was the moment that Emmett had been dreading for the last five and a half hours. Carlisle's arrival at the police station was enough to send him into a panic even though he forced himself not to let it show in his demeanor. He didn't rise from his seat inside the cell. He merely ducked his head and covered his face with his still cuffed hands. This was the point of no return. He didn't have to be an empath to feel the tension and mixed emotions in Carlisle's aura as he checked in with Charlie and moved to toward the cell.

Charlie opened the cell door, allowing Carlisle to enter and leaving it open without concern that Emmett would attempt to bolt or escape. "Take your time, I'll have to process the paperwork anyway," He moved back to the desk to begin the process of releasing Emmett into Carlisle's custody.

"Son," Carlisle sat down on the bench next to him realizing that when Alice had begged him to keep his temper in check, her reasoning had not been merely a whim for Emmett was on the verge of being emotionally distraught which was a side of him that Carlisle had never seen. He put his hand on Emmett's shoulder, his touch startling him. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged then nodded but didn't move from his position, "Okay," He muttered his voice shaking slightly, "I'm…"

"Tell me what happened, Emmett." Carlisle waited patiently as his son divulged the entirety of what had taken place at the club hours before. By the time he finished explaining his actions; he was visibly shaking and obviously afraid of the harsh scolding he thought was imminent.

Emmett rubbed his face, keeping his head down and his eyes either averted or covered with his hands. "I just…I mean I only wanted…" He shook his head unable to even find words to try and placate the anger that he knew was brewing just beneath the surface of Carlisle's calm exterior. "I'm…I never intended for this to happen I'm…"

"What you told me just now was the full truth, correct?" He questioned keeping his tone calm and without judgment or anger.

"Carlisle, I have no reason to lie to you or anyone else." Emmett answered forcing himself to stay calm in the face of what he was certain to be the icing on one of the worst nights of his life. "Did the girl make it?"

"She is quite the fighter although she is far from being out of the woods. There is a very real possibility that drastic measures will still need to be taken, but for now her condition is guarded but stable." He revealed hoping that maybe the good news about Adia's survival would help to bolster Emmett's faltering spirit.

"If I'd been quicker, or just smarter she wouldn't even be in that position. This whole scenario was my own fault even though I wasn't trying to…" His voice broke and he shook his head, "There's no way out of this mess without problems for you and I'm sorry…," Emmett's depression seemed to lift briefly before the cloud of guilt and concern descended once more.

"Sometimes all we can do is the best we can with what we have. You did more than a hundred other people even if, in this case, the only gratitude is an iron cage." Carlisle's voice was steady and his anger was beginning to dissipate. Emmett's own guilt was punishment enough and they had managed to at least tilt the scale of life, even if it turned out to be merely temporary, for Adia. "We will work this out Emmett," He squeezed his shoulder, "You did what you felt was right, that's all I can ask for in you."

Carlisle stood as Charlie came to the door of the cell, "Emmett, as far as I'm concerned your actions were based in self-defense. You did what was necessary to protect your own family and the life of an innocent bystander. I see no reason to hold you here. If Carlisle has no objections then I will release you into his custody. Until I get a full report from the hospital on the condition of the assailant and the judge makes a formal ruling in regards to this incident, stick close, do you understand?"

"Yes Sir," Emmett answered allowing Charlie to guide him back to the desk. He surveyed the area realizing then that Carlisle must have already sent Alice and Rose home.

"Carlisle, do you have any objections as to his release into your custody? You understand that he is to stick close until all judgments in this case are final, correct?" Charlie asked handing Carlisle a pen and pointing to the proper signature lines on the release forms.

Carlisle nodded, "I understand and I have no objections," He signed on the lines as Charlie released the handcuffs from Emmett's wrists. He handed Emmett the pen and Charlie pointed to the proper place on the form.

"Alright, Emmett you're free to go, just don't leave town until the judge makes a formal ruling. Contact with you will be made if the judge deems it necessary to speak with you." He shook Carlisle's hand. "Have a good evening."

"You do the same," Carlisle put his hand on Emmett's shoulder as they left the police station together. Emmett was still uncertain of what was to come once they reached the house but he knew that this night could not possibly get any worse even if Carlisle did end up losing his temper once they were home.


	9. Aftermath

_Aftermath_

"Emmett," Jasper greeted as they entered the den where everyone was waiting. "Did you enjoy your incarceration?" He smiled and even though the question was not intended to poke fun it was apparent that Emmett was in no mood to be jovial about his stay in jail.

"Shut up Jas," Emmett muttered sitting down in the chair closest to the den's entrance. He allowed his gaze to sweep the room, his eyes never making full contact with anyone. He didn't have to be told, as Carlisle finished with a phone call and entered to take his place at the head of the table, that there was about to be a family meeting.

"I'm disappointed. I explicitly told you when you left this house to stay out of trouble." Esme reminded before Carlisle had the chance to explain the full reason for the meeting. "Emmett, dear heart, are you okay?" She questioned raking the room with a no-nonsense glare that needed no verbal translation.

Emmett nodded keeping his gaze averted even from Esme, "I'm fine, it's just been a long night and I had rather not talk about it." His voice trailed into silence—a silence that he would maintain throughout the rest of the meeting and one that Carlisle would allow him to retain as it was apparent to everyone that they had already had a father-to-son discussion.

Carlisle looked around the room giving everyone a calm cool look that meant business, "Did I not specifically ask the five of you to avoid that club?" He turned his stare on Alice then me.

"Yes," Alice answered, "But we didn't go with the intention of getting into trouble." She paused carefully choosing the phrasing of her words so as not to inflame Carlisle's temper. "We went to have some fun, being that it is Halloween night."

Carlisle sighed, "Then I want a full explanation of what happened, including all of the details." His gaze drifted to Rose who merely crossed her arms over her chest and snorted derisively.

"Rosalie Lillian Hale-Cullen," It was obvious when Esme spoke that she meant business. "Check the attitude right now, you will do as Carlisle asks, do you understand?" She held Rose's gaze until she received a nod of understanding, "No more attitude, enough is enough." She nodded then for the discussion to continue and for Carlisle's request of them to be fulfilled.

Oddly enough, it was my wife who spoke even though she had no clue as to the reason behind Carlisle's dislike of that club or why he had asked that it be avoided. "It was supposed to have been a few hours of fun, no trouble, and for the first couple hours it was exactly that, just fun, but then, Alice, Rose and I were on the dance floor enjoying ourselves and this guy who was far more inebriated than was safe, comes shoving his way between us brandishing a broken beer bottle and hollering at that girl about her seat at the bar belonging to him. That's when it turned into trouble, and by the way, that girl, Adia, had been watching us from the bar the entire time as if she knew what…" Bella massaged her arm beneath the makeshift dressing that covered the cut from the bottle.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow slightly, "So you believe that she may be gifted? She is human, for now, there is no doubt about that," His concern for Adia's condition and her future grew then and it was apparent that Bella's revelation had brought a new facet to the original reason for this meeting.

"Bella's right," I admitted, "Adia was projecting thought, whether she realized it or intended for it to happen, I don't know but I was easily picking up projected inner thoughts as she watched us from the bar."

"Hmmm," There was a brief silence as he processed what I had said before he allowed his gaze to once again, firmly sweep the room, "Finish the explanation, explain to me what took place after this assailant became enraged enough to stalk an innocent bystander?"

"Emmett intervened to protect us," Alice answered before anyone else could find the proper explanation. "That asshole had already shoved me and cut Bella's arm. Emmett pushed him to the floor to keep him from hurting one of us, that's when the dude pulled a knife and started slashing. Adia came out of nowhere to jump in front of Emmett and that's when all hell broke loose and the guy stabbed her. It was as if she knew what was going to happen beforehand."

"She nearly died before Bella called me over to try and help her." I admitted figuring there was no need to continue that part of the story for Carlisle had seen the damage first hand during the resulting surgery to repair her. I pulled my hand through my hair, my expression one of tightly restrained annoyance. Just the thought of what had taken place at that club was enough to spark my irritation.

"What is the condition of the girl?" Esme questioned in an attempt to once again settle the tension within the room before it became too much to handle. She focused on her mate, her expression questioning.

"Guarded but stable," Carlisle answered, "There is a very real possibility that drastic measures will have to be taken to save her."

"If she is gifted, Carlisle," Esme's voice turned cold, "Changing her could bring problems from the Volturi. Do we really want that kind of trouble…again… I mean…?"

Emmett roughly cleared his throat, leveling his gaze first on Esme and then Carlisle. He didn't speak but his thoughts were so plain that even Jasper could read them.

"Did you want to say something Emmett?" Esme questioned noticing the stiff, dead-pan glare.

He shook his head for he knew that if no one else had picked up his thoughts I had and so had Jasper to some extent. A stale silence overtook the room as everyone waited to see if he was going to explain his sudden obvious concern and annoyance. He shook his head and stood up. For a few moments, he let his gaze sweep the room and then without saying a word he left the den.

"Let him go," Carlisle's command stopped any pursuit or scolding of Emmett, "He's had a long night."

"Adia's situation weighs heavy on him," Jasper muttered his tone somber. "I must admit, after seeing her hanging on the very edge of existence, it is hard not to want her to survive even if it requires drastic measures and she is unable to remain purely mortal."

"Even, if the drastic measure brings the wrath of the Volturi down upon us again?" Esme questioned the concern heavy in her voice and her expression.

"I don't know what we're afraid of, it's not the first time we've ever dealt with the Volturi," Jasper reminded rather sternly, "And it's quite doubtful that it will be the last. Adia deserves the same chance that Bella was given and I think that the situation with Bella was far more bothersome to the Volturi than this with Adia. Aro is a greedy, arrogant bastard, let's face it, but there comes a point where he needs to learn to grow up and get over it."

Alice snickered, "Case and point."

"From this point forward," Carlisle's voice put a halt to the current conversation—one in which the circumstances involving Adia had turned into a moment of joking about the prospect of the Volturi's involvement. "The club is off limits. I do not want any of you setting foot anywhere near that club for any reason. As for the situation with Adia, there is to be no talk of it or her presence here outside of this house by anyone until further notice, is that understood?" The tone of his voice was enough to not only grab the attention of the entire room but also get understanding and agreement from everyone present. With that said, he stood from his place signaling the end of the meeting, and left the den leaving everyone to go about their own business…

"Carlisle," A voice called as he crossed the living room in route to the stairs that led down into the part of the house he had set up as a fully functional emergency medical center and clinic. He turned to find Bella, her expression one of mixed emotions.

"Yes Bella," He paused providing her with a soothing smile. "Is there something bothering you?"

She nodded, "There is something that I don't understand," She paused trying to find the words and the courage to even ask the question, not because she feared Carlisle's temper, but because she wasn't sure she even wanted the answer.

"What is it?"

"You mentioned that you didn't want any of us going to or hanging around that club, I didn't even realize it was off limits and well…" She shook her head, her gaze finally focusing upon him. "It seemed innocent enough, I mean, I'm just wondering why the avoidance, is there something…?"

"I knew that you weren't aware of my reasoning for enforcing that rule," He studied her, his expression calm, for a few minutes before answering her question. "Vampires and Wolven alike have, in the past, been preyed upon by a hunter who frequents that club. To be slain by a hunter is a fate I do not wish upon any one who is not of mortal nature. That is the reason I am firm that no one from this family go there."

Bella shivered reflexively for just the mental image alone, even fantasized, was enough to set her nerves on edge. "Oh well in that case…"

"You were unaware before," Carlisle soothed firmly; "I do not foresee a problem, just do as I have asked from now on, okay?"

"Yeah, of course," She agreed managing a relieved smile. He gave a nod in return then continued toward the stairs that led down to the hospital area. She watched him briefly before turning to catch Nessie as she came toward her…

_Bring me home in the blinding dream,_

_Through the secrets that I have seen_

_Wash the sorrow from off my skin_

_And show me how to be whole again…_

_Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass_

_Hardly anything there for you to see_

_For you to see._

(Lyrics to song: Castle of Glass: Artist: Linkin Park)

There is no sense of powerlessness so great as to be watching someone precious to you suffer and know unequivocally that there is nothing you can do to help them. This moment was the first time he had seen her up close outside of the chaos of the club and the single stroke of bad luck that had landed her in this predicament. The hissing and pinging of medical equipment and the morass of tubes and wires that emanated from her mostly covered body was enough to turn his stomach. _Vampire and I'm sick at my stomach just from the site, go figure…_ he thought to himself as he watched her sleep.

"If I had only been quicker," He spoke aloud knowing that she was probably too medicated to even notice his presence much less hear his voice. Watching her fight for life and knowing that he might have kept her from harm had he just been using his head, was tearing him apart inside. He shook his head, reaching over the bed's railing to put his hand lightly against her arm, "I'm so sorry," As much as he tried to tune it out, the events that led to her being injured in the first place kept replaying in his mind. "I'm sorry that I couldn't keep you safe like I did the girls," He whispered in her ear.

Her reaction startled him. It was as if she had heard his voice for she stirred feebly. She moved her hand ever-so-slightly as if she was trying to answer him. Her eyes fluttered briefly before blinking open. Still heavy with sleep, her gaze focused upon him and he could hear her thoughts loud and clear in his mind. _"What happened to me was not your fault. It's not your guilt to bear; I only regret that I cannot thank you for intervening in the first place._

Emmett stared into her eyes. "If I'd just been smarter about…" He hung his head, not sure how to explain to her his feelings. "Just don't give up; I don't think I could…" It was a thought that he didn't even want to consider and the fact that he barely knew this young woman didn't seem to matter.

Her eyes closed and for a few minutes, she didn't move or respond as her body fought just to remain alert. When she finally opened her eyes again, it was plainly obvious, even to Emmett that her strength, or what little she had retained, had waned as her color paled from what it had been when he'd arrived. _"You did your best and I am grateful for it. I only hope that I will have the chance to thank you and your family for all that they've done for me but if I don't, promise me you will tell them for me …"_

"Don't say that, you're going to live through this," He insisted gently blotting back several tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes. "You will have the chance to thank us, just don't give up."

_"It's so hard to keep fighting when…" _She dozed again, this time taking longer to recover than before. Her muscles contracted briefly and her eyes fluttered before she managed to once again force them open._ "I can feel myself slipping away. I'm so scared …I don't want to…"_

Emmett blotted away more tears as they formed. His concern grew as her muscles seemed to convulse slightly, her arm jerking under his hand. He knew without being an empath like Jasper that she was terrified of her current situation and something told him that she either carried a gift similar to Alice or that she had at some point, since the incident, seen or felt her own mortal death. "Don't be scared, you're going to survive and be fine." He insisted squeezing her arm in an effort to comfort her, his insides wrenching even more as her weakening condition only made his guilt worse.

Her gaze focused on him briefly, her expression one that was filled with much pain and fear. _"I'm just so tired and weak. My insides feel cold and I don't know if I can stand the pain any more. I'm just so scared and…" _Her awareness fluttered, her eyes closing even though she tried to prevent it. The monitor's pinging weakened noticeably and again her muscles seemed to convulse lightly beneath his hand.

"Emmett," A voice called from the behind. He turned then from watching her struggle on the edge of life to find Carlisle entering the room. "I see you've had the chance to at least meet Adia even if the circumstances aren't perfect at this point." He moved to study the monitors and the equipment surrounding her.

Emmett gave a nod, his concern for her very evident in his expression. She was more than just an empath and her concern for her own mortality was very real. It was plainly obvious that she was aware of her condition. If she felt that strongly that she was going to die then he believed in her instincts because so far he had no reason not to. "I just needed to…well…" He shook his head, "Something's wrong, she told me that she felt as if she was…" He couldn't even speak the words and he didn't have to for Carlisle knew exactly what he was attempting to reveal. "She's terrified."

"Hmmm," Carlisle studied the equipment surrounding Aida, his expression turning concerned. "So she has been conscious enough to project her thoughts." He made some obvious adjustments to the multitude of IVs and also other equipment as well. "Adia," he called putting his hand against her shoulder in an effort to get her to respond to him as he suctioned the excess mucus from the ventilator's tubing and made sure that her wounds were clean and their drainage tubes were not clogged in any way.

Her muscles quivered and for several moments, she fought, to no avail, to open her eyes. Finally, she blinked them open her gaze squinted and her color very pale. She didn't have to speak for Carlisle could see the pain in her face. Her vital signs were fluctuating more than they had been previously. _"I am losing the battle. I'm…just so weak…pain…my stomach…" _ The strain of consciousness was too much. Her eyes closed once more.

"What if she doesn't, I mean are we…" Emmett gave Adia's hand a squeeze in support even though the gesture received no response. His insides were in turmoil, he felt as though he was on the verge of losing a sibling and there was nothing he could do but stand back and watch.

"We will cross that bridge when it is time," Carlisle answered; his voice one of confident calm that Emmett's troubled mind could find comfort in. "For now, her body needs to adjust to the new medications," He adjusted the blankets covering her and checked the equipment once more. "She will remain in a state of medication induced unconsciousness for a time so that her body can rest and heal." He gave Emmett a pat on the arm keeping the fact that Adia was beginning show signs that would suggest the onset of a massive infection to himself. There was no reason to further fuel Emmett's depression until it was necessary to do so.


	10. Refuge

_Refuge_

[Edward's POV]

_So close no matter how far_

_Couldn't be much more from the heart_

_Forever trusting who we are_

_And nothing else matters._

_Never opened myself this way_

_Life is ours, we live it our way_

_All these words I don't just say_

_And nothing else matters._

[Lyrics to song: Nothing Else Matters: Artist: Metallica]

The chill serenity of night time seemed to be a soothing balm for Emmett's concerns while also working to ease the weight of Adia's situation—a weight that seemed to be firmly planted in his mind and on his shoulders. He stood, leaning against the railing of the second floor veranda, his back to the door listening to the sounds of darkness as they played a lullaby of peaceful calm against his frayed nerves.

He rubbed the back of his neck and then rubbed his eyes as his mind began trying to free itself from chains of memory of the incident at the club and the demon of guilt that he just couldn't seem to shake. He was of no real relation to Adia; she had made her presence felt in his life and the life of his family by merely ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time. But for some reason, he was finding it hard not to become attached to her, not to want her to survive her injuries even if it meant taking drastic measure to do so. He couldn't seem to explain his attraction to Aida other than the fact that she had in theory saved him from being the target of some drunken sot's rage, not that an injury of such a nature would have placed him in the life or death situation that it had left Adia.

It was a logic problem that contained within it's solution a myriad of mixed emotions all swirling in the midst of his confusion as to why he had grown so attached to this mortal female that was of no relation to him or his family. The only thing he knew for certain was that he could not allow her to perish even if that meant that Carlisle would need to use drastic measures to save her life. So what if saving Adia's life brought them back into another war with the Volturi, Jasper was right, it would not be the first time nor the last and as far as opponents were concerned the Volturi weren't really even worth the time or the energy that fighting against them required…

It was not my intention to startle Emmett but as I let myself out onto the veranda, his muscles tensed briefly and it was obvious that he had not been expecting any company. I didn't have to be empathic like Jasper to know that Emmett was fighting a demon of guilt and mixed emotions after what had taken place at the club. His attachment to Adia was strong and I could understand the mental anguish of it only because I had walked that same path with Bella only a short time ago. "You know you don't have to fight with this demon alone," I moved to stand next to him at the rail.

Emmett stood still looking up at the sky, "I don't know Edward, I just don't... If I'd been faster or even smarter…" His gaze shifted into the distance, "I mean I don't even know her yet and I'm already feeling the need to protect her. It's almost as though I'm attracted to her." He finally answered after what seemed hours.

"Maybe you are and if so there's nothing wrong with that," I admitted my mind drifting back, briefly, to my own tribulations with Bella before she became no longer human. "Carlisle isn't going to just give up on Adia, even if that means giving her the same chance for a new life as Bella had, you know that."

"I feel like all I've done is caused more trouble, I mean even Esme was…well…colder about this than usual." His gaze shifted then to focus momentarily upon me.

I shook my head, "Esme is just worried about the Volturi. Besides, she hasn't had the chance to meet Adia either, remember, she was able to get to know Bella before the events that forced drastic measure to be taken in order to save her life."

"Why is she so worried about the Volturi, it's not like we've not faced them before. I mean so what if Adia's gifted, not every gifted vampire in this world has to work for Aro the all knowing idiot." It was obvious to me then that there was more to Emmett's depression than just an attraction to this human female that currently clung to the fringes of mortal life; he was also frustrated as to why everyone seemed to be caught up with the possibility of the Volturi making a stink about Adia's existence.

I shrugged, "It's Esme," I muttered more to soothe his frustration than to really explain Esme's view of the situation. "Emmett, you did what you had to do to keep that mess at the club from ending all of us up in jail. You have to, at some point, just trust that you did the right thing and not worry so much about the rest. Adia is in good hands and no matter what her future holds, I'm sure she will be more than welcome here as a part of our family whether she remains mortal or not."

"But what if I'm actually attracted to Adia; what about…I mean Rose will turn into a total witch if…" I noticed the shiver of his muscles at just the thought of Rose's temper in that case. Rose was definitely of the overly jealous sort that was for sure and he was right about her opinion of that sort of situation, not that she could do much to stop it. If Emmett found that sort of attraction to Adia then it wouldn't have been by his own choice, it would have been either fate or destiny or a combination of both.

"Rose will get mad about it and then she'll just have to either learn to deal with it or get over it," I answered calmly. "If you're attracted to Adia in that fashion, well, you wouldn't be the first of our kind to have two. It was a tradition in many of the old clans that male Vampires of status were involved with more than one female."

"All that will do is shine ridicule down on our heads; I mean we have to be able to blend in and…" His voice trailed and his gaze drifted once more into the dark, tree covered distance. "It won't be fair to Carlisle."

I gave him a pat on the shoulder, "We'll work it out. Don't worry about the Volturi; we've proven that we can handle them." I insisted knowing that my calm support didn't even come close to answering the questions and concerns that were currently plaguing him but hopefully my solutions at least gave him some consolation.

"I guess I never realized how tough it was for you with Bella until now…I mean…" He fumbled to find words to even express his own feelings much less thank me for the advice.

I shook my head, "You don't have to thank me for the advice," I insisted with a knowing smile. "Yes it was a struggle but it's not so difficult that it can't be overcome if you're willing to put out the effort. I think I can safely speak for the rest of the family when I say that we will stand behind you and Adia too no matter what happens. It's not a struggle that you'll have to face alone."


	11. Tempest

_Tempest_

_Frozen in time yearning forbidden wishes_

_Damned and divine, scars of my broken kisses_

_What will follow if tomorrow's blind?_

_My eternal light_

_As the Wind takes me away from you_

_Before the morning light_

_My sins are fading into view_

_I'm so weary deep inside._

[Lyrics to song: Damned and Divine: Artist: Tarja]

"Uncle Emmett," Renesmee whispered carefully climbing up next to him as he lay on the couch in the living room. She could feel his concern for Adia and as much as he tried to hide it, he wasn't hiding it from Nessie. She was not only a very observant child but she also was much closer to empathic like Jasper than many wanted to believe. "Are you okay Uncle Emmett?"

"Just worried Ness, just worried," He answered staring up at the ceiling instead of focusing his gaze on her. He knew very well what would happen if he were to focus on her, and he had already put enough pressure on the family as whole, the last thing he wanted to do now was to worry or upset Renesmee.

"Worried…about what? Is it that girl that might die? The one that Grandpa is taking care of?" The questions were asked in understanding and with more concern than a child should be able to control or be aware of.

"Yes and no, nothing for you to worry yourself with Ness, I just need time to think some things through." Emmett mumbled glancing over at Nessie from the corner of his eye and hoping that his answer was enough to stop her from pressing the issue.

"That made no sense, Uncle Emmett," She insisted fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt. "Why are you worried about the girl? Is it because she might die?" Her hand came to rest then upon his arm in an effort to get his full attention.

He sighed not sure how to further deter her even though that is what he wished to do. Bella and Edward most likely didn't want Nessie to be aware of most of what was going on with Adia. "It's complicated, but I feel responsible for the girl's current condition okay?" He answered realizing that he most likely had just given Nessie way to much information.

"Oh," She laid her head against his chest briefly and smiled, "I love you Uncle Emmett no matter what happens." After a few more minutes, she climbed down and retreated up the stairs. She reached the third floor and, like a mouse, opened the big oak door to her Uncle Jasper's study, tip-toeing over to where he was sitting on the big ornate sofa with book in hand. "Uncle Jasper," She called gently touching the smooth leather that covered the back of the book.

"Nessie, what are you doing up here?" Jasper questioned noticing her expression. It was one of concern; reminiscent of the look he'd often seen Bella give Edward or Alice when she was upset or worried about present matters within the family.

"Want to talk to you, okay?" She answered allowing him to lift her up onto his lap.

"What's up Ness, you're upset." He pressed focusing his total attention to her.

"It's Uncle Emmett, he's upset about that girl that Grandpa is caring for. I can't get him to laugh and he wouldn't even look at me. He says he feels responsible but he wouldn't explain. Can you help him Uncle Jasper?" She questioned letting all of her emotion flood forward in one wave.

"Hmmmm," Jasper let himself reach outward first toward Emmett and then further as he pushed to see if he could feel Adia's aura even though he wasn't familiar with her beyond what little time he'd spent with her at the club. The instant he touched her, he knew immediately that her aura was weakening at a rather alarming rate. She was going to die, the cause of her death was unknown to him but he could feel that her passing was imminent. _No wonder Emmett is worried, but he wouldn't know unless she told him, which means…_

"Uncle Jasper?" Renesmee questioned watching her uncle's expressions. He could feel her trying to read him and it didn't take much to discern that she was becoming more and more concerned about the situation as time went by.

"No reason to fret Nessie," He soothed lifting her down out of his lap as he stood. "Come on, you can't stay in here," Taking her by the hand, he led her out of the study, shutting the door behind them before leading her back down stairs. "Go in the kitchen with grandma, I'm going to talk to Uncle Emmett, okay?"

She gave him a nod and the biggest hug she could muster, "Thank you Uncle Jasper, I knew you could make things right with Uncle Emmett." She gave him that beautifully captivating Renesmee smile before skipping off to the kitchen to find Esme…

(Jasper's POV)

_Feel the shadow of my oblivion_

_Hoping mercy would show her face_

_On the road to your own perdition_

_I may see you again._

{Lyrics to song: Damned and Divine: Artist: Tarja}

"Emmett," I called as I entered the living room to find him curled up on the couch just as Renesmee had said he would be. I didn't have to be an empath to feel the guilty concern radiating from his aura, heck, even Rosalie could feel his depression and she was far from empathic.

"What Jasper?" He questioned moving his arm from across his face enough so that he could focus on me briefly.

"Let's go feed, getting out of this house for a little while will do your nerves good," I insisted motioning him to at least join me. I knew he would protest the idea and I made sure before I reached him to be prepared to parry any argument he might dredge up to throw at me.

Emmett shook his head, "Nah, not really hungry."

"You're not going to sit there and tell me that you're not hungry when you haven't fed in over a week," I reminded leveling my gaze upon him then, my expression needing absolutely no verbal translation. "Emmett, I may look like a teenager but I've been around as a Vampire long enough to know better so tell me a new story."

For what seemed like a long time, he just sat there staring at me, his expression one of mixed emotions ranging from irritation at me for pressing him about getting out of the house, to depression, to deep rooted concern for Adia and the future of our family as a whole and whether she was truly going to be a welcome addition.

"Don't make me drag you along, and don't think I can't," I threatened my voice lowering slightly. "You will do Adia no good if you don't feed, Emmett, you know that. Stop being a stubborn ass, it's not becoming of you."

"Shut up Jas," he snipped coldly, his demeanor darkening more by the moment. It was plainly obvious that he was suffering from the negative effects of not feeding properly as his features had become slightly sunken and there were growing dark circles beneath his eyes. "I told you I wasn't hungry…just…"

I stood staring at him letting the room flood with waves of intense calm, "Emmett do you think that Adia would want you sitting here, all depressed and refusing to take care of yourself?" I asked knowing that it would be hard for him to argue the point. I could feel his attraction to her—it was palpable to the point that I was glad that Rosalie had a mind like a steel trap.

"No," He answered rather flatly, his gaze once again lifting to focus upon me. The dark rings under his eyes were growing worse by the minute and I knew he needed to find nourishment soon or else he would be physically ill from refusing to feed and that would not end well when Carlisle found out. Refusing to feed was one sure fire way to provide Carlisle with enough irritation to end you up strapped to a bed with a feeding tube in your nose.

"Well then," I goaded my tone firm. I wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily and I knew that he wasn't thinking about what the consequences would be if Carlisle found out that he hadn't been feeding. "Emmett…" I let his name hang in the air.

He sat up then, glaring at me in obvious disgust as it suddenly dawned on him what tactic I had utilized to get his attention. "That's dirty pool, Jasper." He growled obviously trying to fight off the waves of calm that I was now projecting in earnest. "Damn you," He sighed then and finally rose from his position on the couch and followed me outside.


	12. Intuition

_Intuition_

_(Jasper's POV)_

Emmett's weakened; overly depressed condition was even more apparent once we were in the forest. I watched as he struggled just to bring down a deer that wasn't even full-grown. He finally landed it but the effort seemed to drain him to the point that he ended up not even feeding but letting the yearling go. The fact that he was all but unable to feed was overly concerning for I knew that it was unlike Emmett to be unable to feed.

"Hey," I moved and put my hands firmly on his shoulders, leaving my own kill, in an effort to try and talk some sense into him. The weight of my touch corralled his attention enough that he locked gazes with me. "You have no choice, you have to snap out of this and feed! Do you want to be force fed Emmett? Making yourself ill is not going to help the situation with Adia, no matter how much you feel responsible for her plight. Do you hear me?"

He shoved me away, his gaze turning cold, "No I don't want to be force fed," He snarled angrily, "I'm just…I don't feel like feeding nor do I feel like talking about why okay, just back off me!" Our gazes locked into a staring contest that seemed to last forever. Finally, he broke away, pushing past me in an effort to put distance between us and get away from the scent of blood that was radiating off of the deer I had brought down for myself.

"I'm sorry to do this to you Emmett, but I refuse to allow you to go home without feeding," I moved to deal with him knowing that this confrontation alone would very likely burn a rift between us as siblings and that once Emmett was angry it was very difficult for him to just forgive and forget.

"I'll do what I want Jasper, I said I wasn't hungry!" His voice lowered as he spun to once again face me. "I'm not a child, I make my own decisions! Just drop it, I'm fine!"

"Fucked up, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional, yeah okay you're fine," I snarled putting myself in close and getting right up in his face. I could feel the irritation radiating from him and used my own gift to shield myself while also attempting to calm him. "Lack of sustenance has you not even thinking rationally and no matter how you feel about Adia, she doesn't want you trying to kill yourself!"

"I said I don't feel like feeding!" He more or less yelled in what was for him a growling tone. He reached to shove me back, "I'm not hungry!"

Without warning, I took hold of his arms and flipped him over my head, shoving him downward with more force than I normally would if we were merely sparring. He landed with a crunching thud, back first at my feet, "Now that I've got your full attention Emmett, you are going to feed one way or another because I refuse to allow you to have to endure a tube feeding and that is what will come if you go home in your current state." I moved and with ease picked up the deer that I had brought down for myself, and basically laid the buck's still warm neck against Emmett's face forcing him to inhale the scent of blood wafting from the deer's already punctured neck vein.

"No!" He tried to push the buck away as I figured he would. "I don't…"

"Emmett McCarty Cullen!" Situations were rare when full names were used between siblings but I had officially had enough of his irrational, nearly psychotic state. I pressed my foot down against his chest forcing him to remain in a prone position. I forced his head still with one hand and with force pushed the buck's neck against his mouth. "You can make this hard if you choose but you are going to feed here and now!"

Emmett let off a low growl, bearing his teeth just as a single drop of blood fell from the deer's neck to land on his lips. I watched as his eyes glazed over. He gave a violent shake of his head in an effort to fight the hungry inner beast. "You sorry no good bastard…I…" The glassiness intensified and without warning he ripped the buck from my hold, the motion setting me off balance enough that I nearly landed on my ass. He rolled from under my weight and within minutes drained the deer dry. Wiping his mouth, his gaze came to focus on me—a look I'd seen hundreds of times in many a newborn after their first feed.

"Are you ready to finish hunting now?" I asked as he glared at me, his eyes still glazed and intense.

"I told you I wasn't hungry," He growled, the statement garnering a laugh as I motioned him to follow me down to the bank of the river. There on the bank were two large male grizzlies arguing over a fresh kill of Salmon. Almost before I could move out of his way, Emmett dropped into his usual hunting crouch and took down both bears, almost killing them instantaneously.

"Feeling better now?" I questioned as I rejoined him after making my kill and draining my own bear. I made sure to dispose of the body before returning to find him sitting on the trunk of a downed tree that had been exposed at the bank of the river. I studied him carefully, realizing that I was probably not his favorite person right now since I had forced him to feed. The dark circles beneath his eyes were still there but the color had faded slightly and his features were less gaunt than they had been when we had first entered the forest. It was apparent that he was going to require several more feeding trips and a resolution to the situation with Aida before he would return to normal.

"I'm fine," He answered his tone a bit clipped as I took a seat next to him. "Not hungry, so don't ask."

I nodded knowing that he was far from 'out of the woods' as far as satiating his hunger was concerned and there was still the possibility that Carlisle would choose, once he saw Emmett's features, to intervene. As much as I didn't wish that to happen, I was hesitant about pushing Emmett much further as his mental state was far from normal and it was plainly apparent that his mind was not on hunting but on the current plight of Adia instead. "Really not handling this situation with Aida well are you?" I questioned keeping my voice calm and void of any pressure. If he wished to talk about his current feelings he would do so without being forced and even if he chose not to, I was picking up most of them, loud and clear, anyway.

He shook his head, "No," The clipped tone told me that he still carried a bit of a grudge from our argument earlier. "It's complicated," He stood abruptly and headed back toward the tree line in the direction of the house. I followed him, reaching out in silence to try and project upon him a few moments of peaceful comfort.

_No one will ever see_

_This side reflected_

_And if there's something wrong_

_Who would have guessed it_

_And I have left alone_

_Everything that I own_

_To make you feel like_

_It's not too late_

_It's never too late._

(Lyrics to song: Never Too Late: Artist: Three Days Grace)

There are few sensations more powerfully debilitating than the oppressive feeling of imminent and unavoidable death. The weight and the propulsion toward - and in my case instinctively away from - the location of the fading spirit was such that I had to struggle to dampen the suffocating fear radiating from Adia at least enough that I could channel the surrounding emotions enough to be able to cope with them. The strangling, drowning intensity of the noxious combination was enough that my stomach churned.

"Emmett, where are you…" My question was cut off as I realized that he was heading for the basement stairs, on a mission to check on Adia. I followed him, knowing that when he found out her condition had deteriorated so drastically, he would very likely break down completely…

"Emmett," Carlisle greeted as he stopped just inside the door to Adia's room, sliding over so that I could do the same. "Jasper, what brings you two down here?" He questioned studying Emmett, his expression growing immediately concerned as the lighting of the hospital room only made apparent the fact that Emmett hadn't been feeding properly.

"How's she doing?" I knew the final answer without asking but I felt the need for confirmation just the same. Her spirit was overwhelmingly weak and the feeling that had been overwhelming as we entered the house, was only growing in intensity now as I visually examined her and all of the equipment surrounding her.

Carlisle shook his head, "Infection has set in as I had feared it would. Her vital organs are slowly shutting down." He focused on Emmett who, at that moment, seemed to weaken even further as he moved to Adia's bedside. "She's been unresponsive for the last couple hours with a high fever …I'm afraid there's not much else that can be done short of…" He let his voice trail as his attention was drawn to Emmett as he stood at Adia's side, her hand clasped tightly in his.

"It's not your time. You can't go," Emmett mumbled carefully brushing the tangles of sweaty hair back from her face. He squeezed her hand, "How much longer does she…?" His voice broke and it was obvious that he was either on the verge of complete mental breakdown or fainting which in either case was abnormal behavior for a Vampire.

"I don't expect her to survive the night," Carlisle's gaze shifted over onto me briefly, his expression questioning.

I shook my head, "I had to literally force him to feed," I kept my voice low so as not to further aggravate Emmett's negatively fluctuating mental and physical state. Even though I was projecting waves of calm toward Adia and Emmett, the effect was far from what I wanted even though it did seem to stabilize her steadily weakening vital signs at least temporarily. "He hadn't fed in over a week until today. It wasn't even close to enough."

"Jasper, I told you I wasn't…" Emmett's voice trailed as he gently put Adia's hand down on the bed. His hand moved to grip the railing of her bed as his head began to spin. His vision doubled then tunneled as the sudden wave of wooziness seemed to gradually worsen. "I don't…" His legs buckled then, his body collapsing into a limp heap as blackness overcame him.

"Oh shit, Emmett," I moved to kneel next to him, realizing as I did so that he had bumped his forehead on the bed's railing—a bump that in his weakened state would certainly leave noticeable bruise—at least until he was able to feed properly.

"Watch over Adia," Carlisle ordered, lifting Emmett's limp, unconscious form into his arms and laying him down on the other bed. He secured his position, restraining his arms and legs before beginning to revive him. "Easy," he soothed as Emmett began to restlessly shake his head, his eyes fluttering briefly before his gaze focused.

"What…where…"

"You fainted," Carlisle answered examining Emmett, "You've been too long without proper sustenance and the stress you've placed upon yourself because of her plight has only exacerbated your already weakened condition. You, my son, are now going to have to feed the hard way."

"It's not her time, she can't go," Emmett mumbled watching me provide comfort to Adia as she faced the throes of death. "Jasper, don't let her die, it's not her time," He insisted, his voice fading as Carlisle tilted his head back and began the process of placing a feeding tube in his nose. Once it was secure, he attached a large bag of blood to the free end and secured it to a pole above and behind Emmett's head.

I turned briefly to focus on him as he begged me to prevent Adia's death. His pleading came between brief periods of pseudo-sleep as the introduction of continuous sustenance left him temporarily in an overly exhausted state. "Don't worry Emmett, I'll…" The alarms from the equipment surrounding Adia drowned out the last of my words.

"Jasper, turn the ventilator off," Carlisle ordered moving to Adia's side. He worked feverishly to try and resuscitate her to no avail.

The feeling of death and the sudden blank, black cold sent a reflexive shiver down my spine. Without further thought or permission from Carlisle, I leaned forward and sank my fangs into her neck. I knew that the bite and the venom that would be transferred from my saliva would be enough to transform her. Once she recovered, she would be no longer human but Vampire—becoming like a long lost sister to me.

Adia's body convulsed violently as the venom of my bite entered her veins, beginning to slowly change her body into a newborn vampire. With great care, I drained the tainted blood from her body and dispelled it into a set of basins as Carlisle began slowly replacing it with clean fresh sustenance. The convulsions grew stronger as the time of overwhelming pain and transformation from living mortal to living undead began…


	13. Time

_Time_

_(Adia's POV)_

…_That's why, I will never tame_

_This thing that's burning in me._

_I am the one who chose my path_

_I am the one who couldn't last_

_I feel the life pulled from me…_

[Lyrics to Song: Did My Time: Artist: Korn}

_Time had stopped and there was nothing but continuous, excruciating pain intermingled with fire and ice. Electricity spiraled up and down my spine, my body convulsing in time with the jolts of pure agony…_

_Voices came to me in bursts between periods of total deafness. They were voices that at times were familiar and at times totally foreign. Pictures of people, places and objects that had once been a part of my life passed before me in vivid but ever fading detail. What was happening to me? I wanted to cry out; wanted to understand the horrible nauseating pain that my body was trapped beneath. I was drowning in agony and darkness and the more I searched for a light, for warmth and comfort, the more it seemed to elude me. The blackness grew heavier with each passing moment_…

_Frail, the skin is dry and pale, the pain will never fail_

_And so we go back to the remedy_

_Clip the wings that get you high, just leave them where they lie_

_And tell yourself, "You'll be the death of me"_

[Lyrics to Song: Remedy: Artist: Seether]

_It seemed like an eternity passed, in total blackness, before my senses began to gradually come back online. The blackness and the pain steadily began to diminish and my world went from total silence to overwhelming noise—noises, some of which I recognized and some of which were utterly foreign. The voices were louder and more frequent as I no longer felt as if I was drowning at the bottom of a long tunnel. "Help please, what's happening to me?" I cried out only to find that my throat felt as though it was packed with sand. I could feel pressure against my hand, a pressure that was no longer cold or warm but the same temperature as my own skin... _

Jasper stood at Adia's bedside as Carlisle continued to provide her with fresh sustenance. "I just couldn't allow her…" His voice faded their gazes met.

Carlisle shook his head, "You reacted in the same way as Edward did when it was Bella's life hanging in the balance," He adjusted the flow of fresh blood that was now feeding Adia as she finished the transformation into living undead. "You cannot control your actions, Jasper, when it is your gift that is guiding you. You did what was necessary to give her new life, and most likely save your brother's as well. Her death would have been more than Emmett could've handled both physically and emotionally."

"I know I just…it's been such a long time, the taste of human blood… I'm not even sure I remember how to…"

"It will come back to you. Remember, you will not be alone in helping her to come to terms with her new life." Carlisle assured as he moved to check on Emmett. "I am proud of you Jasper; you handled biting her with the utmost in control. This is a step that proves you can control the beast within you after all."

He nodded in gratitude and it was apparent that he was still uncertain the future ramifications of his actions. "Is Emmett okay?" He questioned watching his brother's awareness drift in and out as he continued to readily accept the blood offered him via the feeding tube.

"He'll be fine once he's fed properly." He answered putting a hand on Emmett's shoulder to calm him as his awareness once again stabilized briefly.

"Adia is she…" His voice faded and his gaze shifted to focus on Jasper. "Did you…? It wasn't her time, she…"

"Easy Emmett, she, like Bella, now has a new life," Jasper answered feeling the surge of emotions from his brother crest like a tidal wave and crash into him. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes as Emmett's emotion on top of the still lingering fear and unyielding distress that had radiated from Adia as she had passed from mortality, was almost enough to overwhelm him.

"Jasper, are you…" The faint rustling of fabric stopped Carlisle from finishing his question. He and Jasper both looked down to find Adia's cool green-blue eyes staring back at them. Apparently, she had been closer to fully transformed that Carlisle had realized for now she was awake or at least so it seemed.

A smile creased Jasper's expression as his gaze met hers. "Adia, you have one hell of a way of scaring the shit out of folks," He drawled carefully taking her hand in his. "How do you feel?"

"Different, like something is…" Her voice weakened slightly as the strain of communication was a bit too much for her system to handle. "What's wrong with me…I don't…"

Jasper shook his head, "Easy, you're going to be weak for a few hours yet but…" He looked then to Carlisle, his expression asking the obvious question. Should he tell her now—tell her that she was no longer mortal and the feeling of difference wasn't just a figment of her imagination—or should he wait until she had gained her strength.

"Adia," Carlisle put his hand against her shoulder in an effort to comfort her as he knew that the revelation would, as it had with others that he had turned in the past, most likely cause her to panic. "You feel different because you are," He paused briefly to formulate the exact phrasing that he wished to use so that she would understand what had happened to her. "You have been made anew. I allowed my son," he motioned then to Jasper, "To take drastic measures to save your life; those measures required him to change you so that you are no longer mortal human."

"I was dying but now I'm…" Her expression turned confused then and tears began to well up in her eyes in response to the sudden frustration. "I—I don't understand?"

"Adia, it was it obvious that you knew we were different even at the club," Jasper insisted not sure if he could handle any further emotion as he was in the process of suffering from a temporal migraine, which in his case was a rarity but one that would leave him quite ill for several days. He had only suffered two in all the years that he'd been a Vampire and both had left him totally incapacitated and unable to feed for a week. "Now, you are one of us."

"You are no longer mortal Adia; you have become living undead—immortal." Carlisle finished watching her as she forced herself to process what was to her information overload. "To make you into a Vampire was the only way to prevent your existence from being terminated permanently. My other son, Emmett, insisted that it was not your time, and his own well-being was also a factor in the decision Jasper made to save you. Do not worry, you will be safe here, as a member of our family for as long as you wish to remain and we will teach you how to be one of us and live a normal human-like existence."

She nodded the shock of the revelation seeming to drain her strength slightly, _Well, I didn't have family before, and I always said that I wished I could start over. I guess this is…they said you had really no choice, it was either this or a coffin in a graveyard somewhere. Being a Vampire can't be so bad, can it?_


	14. Lessons

_Lessons_

_(Three days later: Adia's POV)_

"Adia," Jasper kept his voice soft so as not to startle me as he entered the room that I had been given once I was strong enough to be away from the medical center. "Are you…" He stopped as he realized I was standing in front of the mirror, tears streaming down my face as I stared into my own eyes.

I turned briefly to glance back at him, trying frantically to keep from totally breaking down. I blotted the tears back from my cheeks, with the sleeve of my flannel shirt, as he moved toward me. He didn't have to ask, I knew he already sensed that I was upset and no matter how much I tried, I knew it would be impossible to hide my feelings from an empath as strong as him.

"What's wrong?" He questioned the pain I knew was obvious in my expression along with the fact that I was clutching my stomach like a little kid about to hurl.

"Pain…I hurt all over and…" I moved back to the mirror, even though I was beginning to feel overly weak and woozy. "I feel so strange and my pupils are rimmed in red…what's happening I don't…" My vision doubled then and before I realized it I was sitting in the middle of the floor, my head resting against the edge of the bed's mattress.

He was sitting on the edge of my bed, his hand placed gently against my forehead, his gaze focused on my face. After a few moments of patiently waiting for me to regain my senses enough to notice the fact that I was sitting in the floor, he put his hand against my shoulder. "It's time for you to learn to feed. The reason you are in so much pain and your eyes have acquired red rims around their irises is because as a newborn you must feed more often to sustain your body. No need to panic, this is normal but being as you've had such a violent reaction to lack of sustenance combined with a traumatic and stressful transformation, you will most likely have to be very careful to feed regularly from now on."

"Feeding…you mean?" Something deep inside of me, at that moment, became suddenly ravenous. It was as if I had not eaten in a month but my cravings weren't for normal, mortal food, although chocolate cheesecake came to my mind and made my stomach growl viciously in response—my cravings were for blood. I shivered reflexively at the thought of taking the blood of another human mortal. "I—I can't take another person's life I just…"

He smiled then and shook his head, "Come," He gently helped me up from the floor, "In this family, we don't take human life. Our sustenance comes from the animals of the forest. It is time for you to learn to hunt…" he paused to close my door before guiding me downstairs and into the living room, "Among other lessons that a newborn Vampire must learn…"

"Adia, are you…"Emmett questioned, from his place on the couch. "Jasper is something wrong?" He rose to his feet and took me by the hand, steering me to the couch and setting me down so that I wouldn't collapse as he could see the pallor in my face.

"It's time;" He answered studying his brother carefully, "Looks like you need to join us. She must learn to feed among other things and since I don't need to teach you how to feed, you can help me teach her while also taking care of yourself."

It wasn't an offer, Emmett knew it was his brother's way of demanding that he take part in this hunting trip and if he refused there was always the higher power and well, Carlisle would not hesitate to force feed him again—a process that he didn't particularly want to have to undergo a second time.

_Are you ready? Are you ready?_

_For what's to come…Oh I said, are you ready?_

_Are you ready...For what's to come…_

_Ten, nine, eight, seven six…_

(Lyrics To Song: Are You Ready? : Artist: Creed)

"Okay Adia," Jasper began as they found a place near the river that seemed to be practically teeming with animal life. "We usually hunt the large animals whether it is deer, or carnivores like bear or cougar."

"We prefer to take only the males if we have the chance so that we don't deplete the populations that Mother Nature has given us." Emmett added as they moved through the forest.

"I've never hunted before I don't…" By the time we reached the place where they were going start teaching me about my new life, I was so woozy that I couldn't even keep my balance or move through the underbrush without tripping over plant debris that I should have had no problems stepping over.

"Hey Jas, one of us should bring down a deer so that she can see how we do it," Emmett suggested helping to sit down on the trunk of a downed tree only a few meters from the banks of the river. "She needs to feed and she's a bit too weak right now to bring one down on her own."

Jasper nodded, "Stay with her," He insisted moving off into a nearby thicket of dense underbrush only to return a few minutes later with a large buck deer. He brought it over and laid it at my feet. What happened next, I'm not sure but the next thing I knew I found myself wiping the blood from my mouth and standing up from what had been a knelt position. The weak and woozy feeling had dissipated and it felt as though I had been jolted with a burst of electricity as the fresh sustenance began to satiate my newborn hunger.

"You feel better?" Jasper asked moving to cup my face gently in his hand. He studied my eyes briefly before shaking his head. "Interesting, her eyes haven't changed from the color they were when she was mortal and…" he muttered turning then to Emmett. "She's definitely gifted. Like Bella, she's able to shield even me."

Emmett nodded taking my hand as Jasper disposed of the body of the deer. "Do you think you can take your own prey or are you still unsure?"

I shrugged, "I don't know I've never…" All of the sudden there was a crashing sound followed by a series of angry snarls. I turned to find myself staring face to face with a full grown cougar. The 130 pound, tawny colored cat was obviously unhappy about our presence; either that or she was on the hunt as well. Of course Emmett and Jasper immediately saw this confrontation as an opportunity to feed and I could sense their vampire instincts kicking in even before I locked gazes with the cat. "Wait, don't… _You have cubs, sorry if we startled you_." I moved slowly, putting myself between her and them, reaching out my hand, my ability with animals only strengthened by my transformation.

"Adia, don't provoke her," Jasper insisted. "Remember, you need to feed."

"But not on her," I moved closer, the cat stiffening and firmly holding her ground. _'It's okay, no harm will come to you or your cubs.'_ Her angry growling stopped and her ears pricked as my hand came to rest upon the top of her head. "See, she's fine. She has cubs and our presence startled her. She was only protecting them and looking to make a kill of her own." I turned to face him then, the slightly shocked expression on both the boys' faces making me smile for probably the first time since I'd been released from the medical center as a newborn Vampire. "What?"

They exchanged glances briefly before Emmett moved to once again take my hand. Jasper just shook his head. In the back of his mind, he knew that this was only the beginning of discovering all of my gifts and just this discovery alone would be enough to capture the attention of the Volturi. It was only a matter of time before they would come looking to offer me a place within their ranks. "We need to be moving on, you have much to learn," It was obvious that he was uncertain about my sudden attraction and attachment to this large wild cat and her cubs, "Adia, are you ready to move on?"

"Sure," I answered turning then to the mother cat that had lain down at my feet. '_Take care of your babies and if you fear for their safety here, come to the clearing at the back of the house. You will be safe there, I promise'_ I rubbed between her ears. _'If you don't mind, I'm going to name you Bliss.'_ I stroked her chin letting my mind link with hers so that she would remember me even after we had parted. I made sure that she understood that the Cullens were my family and that they were not to be harmed before nodding in answer to Jasper's question. "Okay, let's go, she won't harm anyone from your family, including me so if she appears in the yard, leave her be she will only be looking for a safe haven in which to raise her cubs."

Jasper nodded as we pushed on through the forest in order for me to learn to hunt among the many other lessons a newborn Vampire must learn upon their first feed. Hunting was hard, a task that I, even after we were done, was still uncertain of how to undertake. I found myself loathing the idea of killing any creature above the buck deer and the occasional elk stag that were so elusive here on Quileute lands. The creatures of the forest understood their purpose and I understood the reason for needing to hunt but for me all of Mother Nature's creatures are blessed with a soul and it is that spirit that I was having a difficult time destroying just to provide my own body with proper sustenance.

"Emmett, Jasper," I stopped our trek through the underbrush, my own mind unsettled to the point that just the idea of taking down another buck just to feed myself was revolting enough to make my stomach lurch. "I can't do this…I'm afraid hunting just isn't my game…I mean I know that I have to feed but is there…I can't make myself kill any more animals here I just…" Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that my revelation had come as quite a surprise to both of them.

Emmett put his hand on my shoulder, his concern for my well-being growing even stronger in the midst of my sudden emotional battle with the concept of hunting. His gaze met Jasper, his expression one of concern and confusion as to what to do next.

"We'll teach her what we can as far as how to use her other abilities as a Vampire and then," Jasper moved close, studying my eyes. "She's satiated for the time being anyway, when we get back to the house, we can discuss her inability to hunt with Carlisle. I'm sure an alternative means, that doesn't require the taking of human life, can be found." He smiled, "Don't worry, every newborn is different just like every human is different; we'll figure it out."


	15. Knowledge

_Knowledge_

(Jasper's POV)

_I know there's something out there_

_I think I hear it move_

_I've never felt like this before_

_I wish you'd never told me_

_I wish I never knew_

_I wake up screaming…_

(Lyrics to Song: Scared: Artist: Three Days Grace)

"I feel so bad about this," Adia admitted as they reached the edge of the yard. "You guys have done so much for me and now I can't even be a normal vampire, whatever normal is in that case." Her eyes were welled with tears and she was obviously upset by her inability to feed the way that myself and my brother had tried to teach her.

I turned then putting my hand on her shoulder, "Stop it; there are other options that won't put human lives at risk or require you to do something you're not comfortable with." I insisted attempting to get her to stop berating herself because her gift had prevented her from taking sustenance from the animals of the forest. She was by far, the most gifted of any newborn I had seen or created in my time but her emotions were very close to the surface which would lend her to being susceptible to brainwashing by another source, including that of the Volturi.

"How was the first hunting trip?" Carlisle asked as we made our way toward the house. He stepped down onto the steps from the veranda as we came onto the porch and Adia immediately ducked her head in obvious disappointment. "Adia, is something wrong?"

She sighed still avoiding his gaze. "It's nothing really, just…" She stood motionless as Carlisle put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Adia, you are a part of this family, never be afraid to talk to me about any problems you may be having adjusting to your new life, okay?" He soothed cupping her chin and lifting her gaze to meet his. If he was taken at all aback by her bright green blue eye color even after her first feed as a newborn then he did, in no way, show it as he studied her face. "What's wrong?" He turned his gaze briefly on Emmett and I.

"She's was unable to feed properly this first time," I answered as soon as I noticed that she had cut her eyes slightly in my direction, "She's afraid that she's only going to be burden because of this setback in her feeding."

Carlisle shook his head, "No, whatever the problem is, we will find a way to solve it." He turned to me then his expression questioning. "What's the problem?" I knew he was concerned as the red rings around the irises of her eyes were still visible to a certain extent even though she had fed albeit improperly.

"I can't hunt," Adia answered before I had the chance to find the proper phrasing to explain the problem. "I just…my connection with the animals is too strong, I can't do harm to them it just hurts too much."

"Is she going to be okay?" Emmett questioned moving to take Adia's hand in support.

"She'll be fine Emmett," Carlisle assured smiling at Adia. "Gifts can be troublesome to come to terms with, especially when those gifts are of an empathic nature." He put his hand between her shoulder blades and guided her into the house. "Obviously force feeding you each time you need to feed would be much too traumatic for you even as a Vampire and we don't take human lives, part of the reason we've resorted to taking our sustenance from the animals in the forest but since you are unable to hunt, we must discover a way for you to feed that you are comfortable with and that does not infringe upon the guidelines that our family lives by."

"I'm so much trouble, I'm…I should…" She shook her head in confusion and concern.

"No, you are gifted Adia, that is what makes you special and it also puts you in the eye of other Vampires that might want to capitalize upon those gifts for evil purposes, which is something that we have to prevent."

"Others? There are others besides us?" Adia questioned her concerned confusion now harboring a hint of fear.

"There are others such as the Volturi, and they will most likely try to turn you to them but there are none that cannot be defeated in their quests." I answered before Carlisle could find the words. "Don't worry, you're safe here and when the time comes you will be prepared to stand your ground against others that might wish to do you harm."

"For now, we need to focus on finding you a way to feed that you're comfortable with," Carlisle insisted leading Adia down into the basement of the house where the medical center was located. Oddly enough, Emmett and I were not the only ones who followed them into the basement. The entire family made their way downstairs everyone wanting to meet and or provide support to Adia as she continued to adjust to her new life as living undead.

"If she can't actually hunt, then could she feed by drinking the blood from one of those big cups? I mean if it has a lid on it then no mortal human is going to be the wiser as to what's actually in it." Bella's question and the thought were both random but she had in asking brought up a very valid idea. "I mean it's not the blood that she can't handle it's the actual killing of the animals and being that she's a strong reactive empath, she wouldn't be able to hunt humans either, it would breed the same reaction."

"True," Carlisle agreed opening one of the lockers and pulling from it a 64oz navy blue plastic cup with a black spill proof lid. "Adia, let's try something, and if you're comfortable with this then this is how you will feed." He filled the cup with fresh blood from the stored supply, being sure that what was in the cup was at a drinkable temperature before putting the lid on the cup and handing it to Adia. "If this doesn't work, we'll find another way."

Adia took the cup and took a drink; cringing and shaking her head as if she'd had been sucking on a lemon. "Needs to be colder," She muttered forcing herself to swallow what she had already consumed before handing it back to Carlisle, "It'll work as long as the blood is cold enough to have ice crystals in it. I definitely can't drink it at room temperature," Her color paled in response to the horrible nausea that drinking warmed blood had brought about.

Carlisle smiled, "Well that can be easily fixed and now we know and so do you, how you need to feed. I will have Emmett and Edward set up a cold storage unit specifically for you and since we hunt often, it should be no problem filling it with stored supplies so that you will have sustenance whenever you feel the need to satiate your thirst."

She gave a hesitant nod, "I just have one question…"

"What's that?" Jasper asked noticing the hesitation in her expression. It was obvious that she was still feeling thoroughly overwhelmed by her new existence even though the problem with feeding had been for the most part solved, "Adia?

"I'm…well…I'm still hungry," She muttered rubbing her stomach, "But not for blood, I mean…" She let her words fade as everyone's gaze suddenly fell upon her. "What is that odd?"

"It's not at all normal but it's not odd per say, Bella and Edward's daughter Reneseme also eats regular food as if she was born mortal human but her mother was totally human when she was conceived." Carlisle studied Adia's eyes realizing then that she was truly unlike any newborn vampire that we had seen or had contact with. He turned his gaze then to me and, even though no words were spoken, there was no need I could feel and so could everyone else, the sudden concern and excitement radiate from him. Everyone knew that Adia's presence would, at some point soon, bring the inquisition of the Volturi because she was unlike any living undead, even Nessie. "Miss Adia, we need to discover what gifts you have so that when we must defend your existence we can do it without fault."

"Before that, can I use the kitchen? I have a craving for chocolate cheesecake and even though I might not be mortal any longer I still remember how to make my sister's recipe and it's the best ever." She questioned rubbing her stomach again. The mention of chocolate immediately caught Nessie's attention.

"Yummy," Nessie added studying Adia closely, "Can I help you make it?"

"Sure, everyone is welcome to some when I'm done because there will be plenty for all." She added as Carlisle handed her back the cup this time with sustenance that was near frozen. She took a drink and smiled, "Now that's much better, that is the perfect temperature."

"Then that is what your cold storage unit will be set for so that any time you refill your cup the contents will be at that specific temperature," Carlisle agreed writing her information down on one of the many scratch pads that he kept in various locations around the medical center. "The Volturi will come soon enough, it is of the utmost importance that we begin teaching you not only about how to defend against them but also how to use your own gifts as a Vampire so that you do not appear vulnerable in any way to Aro, lest he will insist that you return to Volterra and become one of them."

"He sounds remarkably like a selfish little kid who needs a good whipping," Adia agreed as everyone moved back up the stairs and into the kitchen so that she and Nessie could begin making the chocolate cheesecake that she was so badly craving."

"He is," Alice agreed beginning to snicker wildly in response to the image that Adia's comment had brought to her mind. "A four year old having a temper fit acts better than him on most occasions."

Everyone else just shook their head as laughter spread throughout the room. We all knew, at that moment, that Adia was going to be make a wonderful addition to the Cullen family and her existence would be protected with lives if need be from the hands of the Volturi.


	16. Omens

_Omens_

"Master Caius," Demetri called as he awaited permission to enter the library, "You wished to see me as soon as I returned from my mission?"

"Ah yes, come in Demetri," Caius motioned for him to enter without ever lifting his head from the scroll he had been reading, "Close the door and take a seat."

"Yes Master," Demetri answered keeping his head bowed as he moved to take one of the chairs across from the table where Caius was sitting.

"I assume that your mission to spy upon the Cullens has been successful and that you have much information to reveal?"

Demetri gave a nod, "As was requested I've spent many moons watching the Cullen Coven from a safe distance and the information I have to reveal is quite interesting indeed." He answered a smile creeping into his expression and setting his fangs aglow in the dim torch light

"Your report, Demetri, before I lose interest and patience," Caius insisted putting the parchment cover down over the scroll and placing his hands atop it.

"The Cullens have added another member to their coven—one that is very gifted and quite unusual. She is unable to hunt as they do and from what I could gather before I returned, she is much like the hybrid child of the mind reader and his mate. I also have information to suggest that she is a strong reactive empath, much stronger than the one Jasper Cullen who is the mate of the Seer." He answered keeping his eyes averted slightly as Caius processed the revelation.

"Anything else of dire importance, Demetri, before I go interrupt my brother in his research? Caius pressed raising an eyebrow in impatience.

"From mere observation there seems to be a visible attraction between this new member to the one Emmett Cullen who is close in strength and size to Felix." Demetri finished lowering his head again as he could feel, without any empathic ability, the irritation radiating from every fiber of Caius' being.

"Remain where you can be easily found, Demetri, as I am sure my brother will wish to further discuss your findings at some point this evening. You may be dismissed for now and I will inform my brother of your return." Caius motioned him to remove his presence from the library. Demetri stood, gave a slight bow and did as Caius wished knowing without test that just his presence had grated upon Caius' temper…

"Ahh brother Caius," Aro greeted as Caius entered his study knowing that interrupting Aro when he was busy with research or reading was grounds to receive a tongue lashing of epic proportions. "Your presence must mean that you have concerns of importance to discuss with me as you have interrupted my time of research and meditation."

"My apologies brother, but I wished to inform you that Demetri has returned and brought much information that may be of interest to you from his mission in America."

Aro's expression lightened slightly at the possibility of having a case against disbanding the Cullen Coven permanently. "Do summarize the information that was given you by Demetri, brother so that I may determine to what degree of investigation that this matter requires of us?"

"It seems that the Cullens have added a new member to their Coven and she is quite unusual and strong in gift."

"Hmm," Aro expression flickered with a variety of emotions as he processed the revelation about this new member of the Cullen coven. "Send Demetri here; tell him I wish to speak with him brother." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together in that strange almost childlike manner.

"Yes brother," Caius agreed, "I must assume that action shall be taken in the near future in order to deal with the obvious ignorance of our rule that the Cullens seem to continue to be portraying?"

"Soon enough," Aro's tone was clipped then and Caius knew better than to agitate him as being disturbed from his meditation was agitation enough.

"I will send Demetri to see you brother," Caius agreed giving a slight bow before exiting the study and moving to locate Demetri.

_So Carlisle has added a new member to his coven hmm, and according to the briefing she is strongly gifted. It seems that he wishes to continue to thwart my rules, although I know not the reasoning for his digressions. I wonder if she is strong enough to fight off my mental probes or…maybe she would be willing to share her gift with me instead of becoming a rogue like those that remain a part of Carlisle's measly little band. Soon enough, soon enough we shall discover the intent of this move by the Cullens and we shall see just what kind of strength this new gifted member of their coven has to present to me._ He rubbed his hands together as the door to his study opened and Demetri entered.

"You wished to see me Master," Demetri greeted stepping to the center of the room and bowing low, keeping his gaze averted to the floor in front of him until he was ordered otherwise.

"Yes Demetri," Aro approached him then holding out his hand, "May I?"

"Of course," Demetri answered knowing better than to deny his Master the right to read his thoughts. He didn't flinch as Aro took his hand and closed his eyes to focus his mind on every detail seen by his guard during his mission.

"Interesting," Aro muttered as he carefully studied each and every bit of information—lingering on each Cullen and then finally upon the new member of the Cullen Coven. After several minutes, he released Demetri's hand and his visage turned almost childlike as an excited smile crossed his expression, "So very interesting."

Demetri stood silent as he awaited further orders. He knew by the expression upon his Master's face that Aro was intrigued and also concerned. He watched as Aro retook his seat, rubbing his hands together before crossing them in his lap. Again, he closed his eyes and Demetri couldn't help but be curious as to what was sort of plan was being brewed inside that steel trap of a mind.

"You are dismissed," Aro insisted after several moments of silent contemplative thought. He never opened his eyes nor did he move from his chair but he didn't have to. Demetri gave another bow and quietly exited Aro's study knowing that his master was, without a doubt, devising a plan to further the investigation into the Cullens and their new charge.

_(Cullen library: Adia's POV)_

_Whatsoever I've feared has come to life_

_And whatsoever I've fought off became my life_

_Just when everyday seemed to greet me with a smile_

_Sunspots have faded_

_Now I'm doing time_

_Now I'm doing time_

'_Cause I fell on black days_

_I fell on black days_

(Lyrics To Song: Fell On Black Days: Artist: Soundgarden)

"Wow, this is beautiful," I muttered in awe of the expanse and eclectic feel of the house library. "I bet there's lots of history here; I mean look at all these beautiful, old leather bound tomes." I smiled as Emmett reached up above his head to pull a leather bound photo album from one of the hard wood corner shelves. "What's that?"

"Family album, I thought you might want to see what kind of family you've gained." He took me then by the hand and led me over to one of the seating arrangements that gave the library it's very homely, warm feel.

"So this is the Cullen family history in pictures I take it?" I questioned taking the book and sitting down, leaving just enough room for him to join me. I laid the book down on my lap and studied the gold filigree on the cover. "Is this the family crest?"

Emmett took a seat next to me so that he could answer my questions. "Yeah, since you're now a part of this family, that's now your family crest as well." He insisted watching me as I studied the crest again before actually opening the album. "Adia, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I agreed looking over at him briefly, realizing that his expression was one of curious concern. "What's bothering you?"

"You mentioned before that you have a sister? Is she…I mean why are you two not closer being as you are siblings?"

It was the one subject that I had been hoping upon all hope that my new family would just leave alone—the one subject that sent stabbing pains through my heart each and every time I thought about the tragedy that was my sister and how her untimely death destroyed everything I ever knew or understood about family.

"My sister Manda," I admitted then trying not to allow the river of emotions to overwhelm me in front of him. "We were close and I still love her. I miss her a lot. She was my rock and now she's well…she passed away nearly two years ago now, she was murdered."

"Oh," Emmett's sudden shock at the revelation, I had to admit was rather cute and the more time I spent with him the more attraction I had for his presence. "Sorry to hear that, was her killer brought to justice?"

I shook my head, "No, her death destroyed my family, turning them against each other and severing our bonds. Her death and the culprit are still unknown. Emmett, can we move on to another subject, I just don't really want to continue talking about Manda, please?"

"Sure," He agreed giving my shoulder a squeeze in a gesture of comfort and understanding. "Let's focus on getting you familiar with your new family and their lineage then." He added beginning to explain to me the pictures and the origins of each one.

All in all, we were quite enjoying looking at the photos and being in each other's company when a strange sensation overcame me. I paused in the middle of turning to the next page to squeeze the bridge of my nose in response to a sudden barrage of harsh needle like pains that surged across my forehead and into to my temples. I had suffered temporal migraines before as a mortal and I knew what the signs were the reason for their presence, _but who would be trying to probe my mind and why? Well, I guess if they wish to play that game, I'll just have to show them what retaliation feels like._

"Adia, is something wrong?" Emmett questioned his concern growing when I didn't immediately respond. He didn't have to be medically trained to know that I was in pain for I had now begun to gently massage my temples in an effort to ease the throbbing and also help me to focus.

I held up a hand, signaling for him to be patient and that I would be okay before I went about putting a stop to whomever was attempting to probe my thoughts without my permission. _Eat this sucker!_ I pushed my own shields outward forcing the probe from my mind and hurtling it like a dagger back in the direction from which it had originated. _Paybacks can be such a bitch, but damn they are such fun. When you get rid of the headache I just left you with then I dare you to try that shit again._ I felt the aftershock as my shield and the retaliating strike reached their target, the power of my strike immediately incapacitating the other and their probe disappeared into nothingness along with the resulting pain.

"Adia?" Emmett rubbed my shoulder, his concern for me very apparent as I allowed my mind to relax and my eyes to open.

"I'm fine, just had to take a moment," I admitted focusing my attention back to the book in my lap and back to him. "Don't worry; it's over now—over and taken care of at least for now."

"Are you sure you're okay?" He questioned noticing the slight flush of my face which for me was normal after a spell where I've had to project my mental shields in such a violent manner.

"Yeah I'm fine," I insisted pointing toward the picture now on the page in front of me. "Explain the situation with Edward and, Bella, that is her name right?"

He nodded and began to explain the story of the Cullen's and the trials that Edward and Bella had been through before the birth of Reneseme.

Aro sucked air, a deep hissing, from between his teeth as the physical pain of being rejected slowly dissipated. _You are quite gifted my dear, quite gifted but soon you will have to make a very important choice as to the continuation of your existence. I fear that it will be this choice that will tame your rebellious spirit enough that you will allow me to read your thoughts. All in due time, all in due time._ It had been the first time in many decades that he had allowed himself the pleasure of projecting his abilities from afar and most likely it would be the last time as the energy expended to perform such a feat left him quite in need of sustenance. He now knew that a conference with his brothers was necessary and that a plan must be formulated and enacted swiftly if this new threat was to be dealt with in a timely manner. _ Carlisle, I do hope you have a valid reason for this new member of your Coven, lest your Seer's visions of what would happen should we tangle will not provide you a reprieve this time._


	17. Temporal Concerns

_Temporal Concerns_

_(Carlisle's POV)_

The soft rapping on my office door startled me as I was not expecting any interruptions. I listened for a few minutes to be sure that it wasn't my granddaughter playing a prank on me as she did often during the times when I worked in my office with the door closed. **Tap-Tap**…the sound came again telling me for certain that it wasn't Renesemee. "Yes?" I called looking up from my work toward the door.

"Uhmm Carlisle," The door slowly opened then to reveal Adia. She was obviously nervous about interrupting my study. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course," I insisted standing and offering her my hand as I guided her to the chair across from my desk. "Adia, is something wrong?" I questioned as she took a seat. When her gaze finally focused upon mine, there were tears pooled at the corner of her eyes and she began to massage her temples in obvious pain.

"Well…" She hesitated briefly as she tried to control the flood of tears enough so that she could explain the reason for her interruption. "Someone attempted to probe my mind, and it wasn't anyone within this house. When it happened, I simply reacted in the way I would normally which is to retaliate and force the probe to disintegrate by turning the probe into a strike but now…" She hissed between her teeth as the pain in her temples became almost overwhelming in response to just the sound of her own voice.

"When did this happen?" I questioned putting my hand against her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"Last evening when Emmett and I were in the library, he was giving me a lesson in family history." She answered trying to keep herself focused enough to even answer my questions. "I know I should've said something then but…" She squeezed her eyes shut against the brutal throbbing radiating inside her skull.

"From now on, any time something of this nature happens I want you to immediately come to me," I examined her before unlocking the cabinet in my office to retrieve some medication to help dissipate the headache. "Do you have your cup?"

"It's just when it first happened, I wasn't sure if that's what was actually happening and I didn't want to…well…" Her voice trailed as the pain intensified again. She reached down with now trembling hands and picked up her cup from the floor nearly dropping it before she managed to hand it to me.

"Never be afraid of interrupting me, especially when it is important, okay?" I insisted knowing that Emmett was with her when the probe took place. '_Emmett should have known better and came to me.'_ I took her cup and refilled it adding liquid medication to the drink and stirring it so that there would be no taste. I knew when I handed the cup back to her that it would be very difficult for her to consume any kind of sustenance as that was one of the symptoms of a temporal migraine but because she needed the medication she would have no choice. "Have you ever had a temporal migraine in the past?"

She nodded, "Only once, when I was a child. I woke up in the hospital. They said I'd passed out, but I woke up four days later," She took the cup and forced herself to take a drink. "It took me two weeks to recover enough to be released as it affected my nervous system. I had to go through physical therapy to recover some of my motor skills."

I hesitated letting my mind wander through all my years of medical study, "How long did you have the headache before you ended up in the hospital?" The fact that she had suffered such a severe form of temporal migraine as a mortal child was concerning and her condition warranted close monitoring even with her now on medication. As a vampire she was less likely to suffer the same complications with this migraine but even so she was still susceptible to similar symptoms—a condition that would very likely incapacitate her for longer than the usual recovery time.

"A couple of days if I remember correctly," She answered forcing herself to take another drink from her cup. "I don't remember much of what happened in the few hours just before I passed out, nor do I remember anything about the first day after I woke up in the hospital so…" Her voice weakened slightly and she closed her eyes briefly in an effort to ease the wooziness brought about by the medication as it began to slowly work against the discomfort. "My memory of that event never really returned after I recovered."

"The inflammation from the headache most likely resulted in some minor permanent damage to your brain. Memory loss is not abnormal in that case," I revealed noticing that she was becoming unbalanced even sitting down and her color had paled into an ashen hue. "Are you starting to feel worse now that the medication has had a chance to work through your system some?"

"Really woozy and a bit weak," She answered taking another forced drink from her cup. Her color continued to worsen and the wooziness intensified as I gently helped her up. I knew she needed to go back to her room, settle into a comfortable horizontal position and just rest so that the medication could begin getting rid of the headache and the side effects that came with it.

"Okay, let's get you to your room where you can lay down. I want you to rest and keep drinking from your cup as much as possible. It's not going to be easy for you to take in sustenance but you will probably need at least two doses of medication and that's what's in your cup so…" I reminded opening my office door and carefully guiding her toward her room.

"Carlisle…Adia," Jasper's concern was obvious before he even managed to ask about her condition and what had transpired to cause her to be ill. "What's going on? Is she…"

"She's suffering from a temporal migraine. Apparently, someone tried to probe her mind last evening when she and Emmett were in the library." I answered trying to soothe his concern before he ended up with a migraine of his own.

"But who would…" Jasper's voice trailed as the answer to his question seemed to coalesce in his mind without any response from Adia. _'Damn you Aro Volturi, damn you!'_ He followed us as I guided Adia down the hall to her room and waited as he opened her door, keeping the lights off and turning on the ceiling fan as I helped her into a horizontal position on the bed and finished getting her settled and comfortable. I handed her the cup so that she could take another drink before setting it down on the nightstand next to her. "Just rest and if you need anything I'll be checking on you every so often, okay?"

She managed a nod as she relaxed and allowed her eyes to close. I examined her one last time before motioning Jasper from the room and pulling the door mostly shut behind us. "She will be fine Jasper, the medication I have her on should take care of the headache." I soothed. I didn't have to be empathic to feel the swirl of emotions pouring from him.

"I know," Jasper agreed his fist clinching as he thought about what had happened to put Adia in this position. "Did she say where the origin of the probe might've come from, because I have my own suspicions as to whom would be interested enough to do something like that to her."

"No," I cocked my eyebrow at him. "You believe this was Aro's doing?" I already knew the answer even before he nodded in response to my question. "Now Jasper, let's not jump to conclusions just yet. It is possible that the source wasn't the Volturi."

He shook his head, "You know better than to believe that. Aro Volturi is the only one gifted enough, other than Edward, to be able to pull off such a feat and leave her with that severe of a migraine." Our gazes locked then and I didn't have to respond to his insistence for him to realize that he had won the argument. "It certainly wasn't Edward." His voice lowered then. "Mark my words, the Volturi will be coming after her and we don't have much time to figure out how to keep Aro from insisting that Adia leave here and join them in Volterra." He left me then as I re-entered my office to return to my work and he went back to check once more on Adia.


	18. Distant Ties

_Distant Ties_

_"Manda, is that you?" She questioned her voice sounding distant against the horrible pounding inside her skull. "But I thought you were…" _

_ "Soon my dear sister, very, very soon," The sound of sirens and flashing lights drowned out the voice as her mind drifted through the fog back to that horrible day. The knocking upon the door made her muscles twitch in fear as mother went to the door. A police officer stood before her to break the news. Manda had disappeared from the tour group that she had been a part of in Italy. The officer handed Manda's bloody jacket and her purse to mother._

_ "I'm sorry ma'am, we are doing all we can to further an investigation but considering the amount of blood on this garment, the results of that investigation may not be positive." The officer tipped his hat and headed back to his patrol car._

_ "Manda, Manda! Noooo…" Mother's tearful wailing filled the fog, fading into nothingness—a nothingness that came in the midst of inevitable family upheaval so great that no amount of comfort could stop it from ripping the family apart. Eventually, the members would totally alienate themselves from the world and each other. Father committed suicide and mother was driven into irreversible insanity from the sorrow and calamity that swirled and engulfed her like a never ending black cloud. Tears warm and in torrents, fell from her cheeks as the loneliness set in and she was left to face life and all of its senseless disappointments alone..._

As he quietly let himself into the room, her emotional distress was palpable—so much so that the waves were almost overwhelming even to an empath of his strength and ability. It was obvious that she was in the midst of a terrible dream and that her headache was only exacerbating the distress. She had her face mostly covered with a pillow and the linens of the bed were all askew.

He watched her for what seemed like a long time, trying to first shield himself from the radiation of emotions and pain while also wondering if he should wake her to attempt to comfort her. He knew she needed to rest but he also knew that the stress of her sudden emotional rollercoaster would not help the medication to stall the migraine.

Finally, after what seemed like several hours of watching her turmoil, he moved over and knelt next to the bed. Gently, he gave her arm a shake, making sure not to disturb the position of the pillow that was pressed across the top part of her face and forehead. "Adia," he called continuing to gently shake her and keeping his voice low so as not to further aggravate her pain or startle her, "Adia, come on wake up."

She shifted away from his touch, her muscles tensing in reaction to his hand and whatever horrors were going on inside the nightmare. "Manda," she muttered her voice hoarse from being in such a deep sleep, which for a Vampire was rather abnormal even though nothing about Adia's transformation had so far been anywhere close to the range of what was considered normal for a newborn Vampire. Her muscles tightened again as she became more aware of his touch.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Adia its Jasper come on and wake up darlin'." His voice invaded her dreams and she shivered, jumping in response. Finally, after several long moments of struggling against the terrifying fog of the dream, her mind pushed it back enough to allow her to return to consciousness and the bitter reality of a still pounding headache.

"Jasper, is that you?" she asked her voice giving away her pain despite her attempt to prevent it. She didn't move the pillow merely shifted it enough so her voice wasn't muffled.

"Yes," He put his hand gently against her cheek, feeling the dampened trails left by her still flowing tears. "Are you okay?" He kept his voice down so as not to aggravate the pain of her migraine any more than absolutely necessary.

She shrugged ever so slightly. It was the only gesture that didn't seem to aggravate the relentless throbbing inside her skull. "Miserably resting…or something like that," She shifted in an almost vain attempt to get comfortable. The tears were still flowing; he could hear them in the strain of her voice. "I'm…" Her voice wavered then cracked as the flood of emotions that had been spawned by the events in her dream suddenly overwhelmed her.

"Easy, you're safe," He comforted sliding her over slightly and sitting down so that he could attempt to calm her before her emotional distress further aggravated the migraine. He took her cup up from the nightstand and helped her to take in more of the medicated sustenance. "Do you need to talk about whatever you were dreaming about?"

"Just the usual…" Her voice broke again and she began to weep as Jasper pulled her into his arms, "Nightmare about Manda." Her sobbing intensified briefly even with the waves of quiet calm that he was surrounding her with. "I just miss my sister so much and..."

"Calm down," He soothed handing her the cup. "You need to try and relax otherwise your headache is only going to worsen." He helped her take several more drinks before setting the cup back on the nightstand and positioning her so that her head was against his shoulder.

She buried her face, pulling the pillow up to provide support for her head and tried to obey his suggestion. The concentrated movement made the throbbing inside her skull worse transform into a series of hot knifing pains that left her clutching the pillow and squeezing her eyes shut in response. "I only wish I knew what happened to her," she whispered her voice trembling and soft as she tried to calm herself. The medication was beginning to once again neutralize the pain enough that she was able to focus at least until its soporific properties took over.

"Closure is a valuable gift, when it is possible to give it," He agreed carefully massaging her temples. "For now though, try to get some sleep. We will talk more about your sister's tragic demise once you have overcome the symptoms of this migraine you are currently suffering with." As curious as he was to find out more about Manda's plight, he knew that the best medicine for Adia was to sleep and that would only come if she was able to relax and allow the medication to work properly.

She managed a nod before losing her focus to the overwhelming need to sleep brought about by the medication. Curled up next to him, she felt safe from the horrors of her dreams. He continued to sit with her for a time, watching for signs that the nightmare would return. Once he was sure she was sleeping soundly, he carefully shifted her back onto the bed and exited the room.

_(Jasper's POV)_

As I came down the stairs, I could hear music coming from the den. I paused there to find Edward, with Ness sitting on his knee, playing the piano. I waited, the music seemed to calm my frayed nerves and ease the pain that had been building in my temples since Adia's traumatic transformation. "Beethoven's _Fur Elise_," I muttered watching Ness as she swayed in time to the music. It was one of a plethora of classical songs that Edward was capable of playing and it was written by one of his favorite composers.

"I like this song Uncle Jasper," Reneseme watched her father's hands move across the keys of the piano. "It's pretty."

I nodded, noticing then that Emmett was sitting on the nearby sofa with a magazine in hand. If he was trying to focus on reading, he was failing miserably as it didn't take a genius to realize that his thoughts were on Adia, as were mine. "Trying to keep munchkin busy for a bit while Bella and Alice finish putting up the canopy over her bed," His gaze finally focused upon me. "The piano seems to be doing the trick."

"Obviously," I agreed pinching the bridge of my nose in an effort to try and ease the pressure of my own building headache.

"Jas, are you okay?" Edward questioned watching me from the corner of his eye as he continued to play for his daughter. Was my concern for Adia so apparent that even he would notice? I moved to sit down in the lone baroque style chair across the coffee table from where Emmett was sitting. I leaned my head back against the high wooden back, the cool firmness of the wood seeming to temporarily ease the throbbing inside my skull.

I nodded, "Just worried about Adia." I answered watching as Edward shifted into another of Beethoven's works and listening as Alice and Bella's footfalls could be heard upon the hardwood floor of the hallway.

"Ness, come see what Aunt Alice and I did to your room?" Bella called from the kitchen.

Ness smiled, gave her father a big hug that stopped his playing and climbed down from his lap. "I'll be back soon okay?" Ness questioned flipping the curls of her hair back from her face and locking gazes with her father.

"Go see what kind of magic your Aunt Alice has conjured up this time," Edward insisted giving her a pat on her butt as she skipped from the room. He turned to me. "Okay Jasper, what's going on with Adia that has you so worried?"

"Besides a severe temporal migraine brought about by the fact that someone tried to probe her mind last evening," I revealed turning my gaze to Emmett. "She said it happened when she was with you in the library. Emmett, what actually happened?"

"Adia never mentioned that there had been a probe. I was providing her with a family history lesson. She was fine and then without warning she seemed to grow ill. I asked her if she was okay and she said she would be and that was it. If I had known that I would have…" Emmett's demeanor shifted from what was finally more or less normal back into what could have been described as utter depression combined with a rapidly rising concern for Adia.

"I wasn't accusing you of harming her Emmett; I just needed to know what had happened." I soothed trying in vain to prevent his brother from another spell that would end in him having to be force fed.

"There is only one that is gifted enough to enact a mental probe of that nature with the power to cause a temporal migraine of the severity that Adia is now afflicted with…" Edward interrupted letting his thought trail before he finished as his gaze locked with Jasper's.

"And since it obviously wasn't you, Edward, that leaves Aro the all-knowing moron." Emmett retorted his tone revealing more about his level of concern for the situation than his expression.

"But why would…" Edward stopped, realizing suddenly why Aro Volturi would be even the slightest bit interested in Adia.

"And if his probe worked then he knows where to find her." I let my gaze focus on both of them briefly, "There's a very real possibility that we are already being watched since we embarrassed him before."

Emmett let off a low whistle and shook his head, "Do you really think Aro would try to force her to return with him to Volterra? I mean considering…" He let his voice trail as he thought about what Alice had told us after the last confrontation with the Volturi had ended.

"She's gifted Emmett, gifted in ways that have only barely been explored," I admitted turning to Edward, "More than even Ness. Why wouldn't Aro want to investigate Adia's presence here? And if he comes, mark my words, he will not leave without her in his presence." I stood then, feeling the need to find the peace and quiet of my own study if for no other reason than to try and overcome what was turning into a true migraine of my own.


	19. Rosalie

_Rosalie_

Jasper awoke from a troubled pseudo-sleep to the sound of heavy footfalls on the upstairs wood floor and harsh voices that sounded as if there was an argument going on just outside his door. His head was still pounding and as he listened to the racket, the idea that whoever was involved couldn't keep the noise to a bare minimum knowing that there were those in the house that were trying to stave off dangerous headaches, did nothing for his already smoldering concern and rising irritation with the entire situation. _'What the hell! Can't they observe some silence?'_ He closed his eyes and began to listen to the half whispering, half yelling voices and as their conversation became clearer, his anger grew.

"What is your problem?" Emmett's voice rose in annoyance as Rose shoved him aside and moved past him in route to Adia's room. "Rose!"

"My problem is your sudden need to be around Adia all the time. It's like you've forgotten about us. You do remember there was and still is an 'us' right?" Rose hissed, her voice laced with enough venom that even from behind closed doors Jasper could feel the need to try and calm both of them before their argument woke Adia.

"Rose baby, of course there's still an 'us'. I just feel overly protective of Adia; I did the same with Bella before she became one of us." He insisted, the tone of his voice changing from anger to pleading. "I'd never give up on us."

His answer forced Jasper to pause momentarily if for no other reason than to listen for Rose's reaction even though he knew that she would most likely explode on Emmett anyway. This was becoming a war of epic proportions.

"Us, Emmett, that means you and I not you and I and…and her!" Rose more or less yelled, shoving him backward as he tried to keep her from disturbing Adia or anyone else that might be in the vicinity of the war zone. "Why don't you protect our relationship instead of spending all your time drooling over her? And don't you dare try to deny it because I know there's more to you and Adia than just sibling love!" Her voice continued to rise as more and more of her anger boiled to the surface.

"There you go, jumping to conclusions as always." He snarled her attitude finally getting on his nerves to the point that his own irritation began to show. "Maybe if you'd grow up and get to know Adia better instead of huffing around like a petty child, you'd realize the reason why she has been the center of attention of late. I don't see Bella, Alice or Esme pitching a baby temper fit about it." He reminded his tone cold. "I have not been drooling over her; I've been trying to help her adjust to her new life." He braced himself for he knew Rose well enough to know that she would strike the final chord no matter whether she was right or wrong.

She glared at him and without warning slapped his face hard, "Then you won't oppose me if I confront Adia about your little sibling tryst, if it's really as innocent as you claim?"

Emmett growled low in his throat, "No! Not right now, she's sleeping and trying to recover from a mind probe that was done most likely by Aro." He stepped in front of her, standing his ground and holding her gaze. "If you insist then I'm sure it can be arranged once she's recovered but only with one of the other girls in the room. I don't want you being a total bitch to her, she doesn't deserve that!" He paused letting his demands hang stale in the air, daring Rose to push her luck and argue the point. He knew without a doubt that Carlisle would stand behind him and just the mention of his name would be enough to stop her advance for if he found out about this ruckus or that she'd been detrimental to Adia's medical condition, she would be in deep trouble.

Rose stamped her foot and crossed her arms across her chest, her expression one of clear defiance. "You're against this confrontation because of some secret!" She spouted her gaze turning even angrier, "Emmett McCarty Cullen you're a liar!"

Emmett held her stony gaze, daring her to proceed with her insistence about confrontation. "No! Rose, there are no secrets! Adia's situation is fragile and her health is important if she's going to survive the coming of the Volturi." He fumed coldly. "If I was attracted to Adia in a way other than sibling like, there's nothing you could do about it, except get over it and deal with it!"

"Get out of my way!" She screeched, her voice rising above the shouting whispers that had for the most part kept the argument from encroaching upon others that might be in the vicinity, or so she thought. "Get out of my way Emmett!" She shoved him hard, forcing him to catch his balance and pushing him out of her own personal space. "Enough is enough! I will find out the truth right now!" She shoved him again pushing him back into the large wooden door that opened up into Jasper's room and study.

With lightning reflexes, he grabbed her wrist, his firm tug halting her forward momentum. "No!" He hissed spinning her around in mid turn as the door behind them opened, a heavy thud signifying that it had been thrown open with some force.

"Do you two have any sense of just how damn loud you are, and how ridiculously childish the argument I've been hearing for the last twenty minutes is?" Jasper demanded in a dark, furious hiss as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Butt out Jasper, this is none of your business!" Rose snarled her glare moving to now focus upon him.

"When it is my skull your screeching is cracking like a chestnut on a Christmas fire, it sure as hell is my business." He growled warningly, locking gazes with her. "Both of you take this bickering outside where I don't have to listen to it or else…" He let his words hang stale in the air his gaze never faltering, his anger almost palpable.

"I'm not leaving this house until I confront Adia about this little love tryst between you," She pointed a red nailed finger at Emmett, "And now it seems as though it might be a threesome." She muttered shaking her head at Jasper, "Does Alice know about your side board Jasper?"

Jasper snarled viciously grabbing Rose by the front of her blouse and slamming her up against the wall caddy corner to Carlisle's office, "Adia is not a love venture! She is a very gifted newborn vampire who needs proper guidance so that she can adjust to her new life. If you have a problem with that fine but you deal with it on your own and you leave Adia out of it!" He released her shoving her back into the wall as he did so. He took a step back, his cold, angry gaze leveling firmly upon her. "If I find out that you confronted Adia in any way or caused her any kind of harm physically or emotionally you will regret it Rose!"

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes, "What are you going to do or maybe I should be asking what Carlisle would allow you to do, Jasper? You're the one who he has to keep an eye on when it comes to trouble."

"Try me and find out," Jasper answered his voice lowering into a growl so low that if he hadn't lowered the volume, the resonation would have vibrated the surrounding walls. "Until then, I hope you have a vivid imagination."

"You don't…" Rose's comment was cut off by the sound of another door opening. Jasper and Emmett both looked toward the sound to find Carlisle now standing in the doorway of his study. His eyes seemed as if they were on fire. None of the kids had ever seen him really angry until now and the sight sent a line of shivers down Jasper's spine.

Emmett stepped back nearly bumping into Jasper in an effort to put some distance between himself and Carlisle's obviously boiling temper. He glanced back over his shoulder, his gaze—full of regret—met Jasper's for the briefest of moments, "I was only trying to keep her from harming Adia," He mimed, careful so as not to make a sound but pronouncing his words so that he was certain Jasper understood.

"Rosalie, in my office, now!" Carlisle's voice even though its tone was below full volume, seemed to resonate against the walls as if he had called her name from the depths of a cavern. His gaze shifted then to lock upon Emmett and then Jasper. He gave a stiff nod, a gesture of firm warning yet calm understanding before following Rose into the office and firmly shutting the door.

A smirk rose from the corners of Jasper's mouth as Emmett turned to face him. "You wanted an end to the argument; I doubt there will be any confrontations with Adia at least not today." He mused motioning Emmett to join him in his study. He knew, without question, that Emmett was feeling rather guilty for disturbing Jasper even though the disruption had not exactly been his fault.

"She can be so difficult some times," Emmett muttered sitting down in one of the plush chairs in the space that Jasper had designed for writing and study. He focused on Jasper, "Man, I'm really sorry that you were disturbed by that mess. I was trying to keep her quiet but she just wouldn't shut up. Adia's health is more important than Rose's jealous mongering."

Jasper shook his head, "Sometimes shit just happens, you weren't doing anything wrong by protecting Adia. It's Rose who needs to learn to chill the fuck out. She overreacts way too often." He admitted retaking his place on the sofa.

Emmett smiled, "Yeah no kidding," He eyed Jasper carefully for a few minutes, noticing the unusual pallor and the darker circles around his eyes. "Hey, are you sure you're okay? You look like warmed over death."

"I'll be fine, just a temporal headache," Jasper admitted keeping his voice lower than what would be normal for him. "And Rose's shit only aggravated what was beginning to finally dissipate. Before you suggest it, I've already been to Carlisle and I've already taken my medication, it just takes time."

"Just take it easy," He insisted picking up a magazine from the table in front of him and settling in to read while Jasper dozed in response to whatever medication Carlisle had given him to stall the headache. Reading the magazine would give enough time for Carlisle to finish losing his temper with Rose and the tension to settle some in the house before he ventured down the hall and back to his own room, leaving Jasper to rest in undisturbed silence.


End file.
